


Silence of the Sirens

by silkiemae



Series: Silence of the Sirens [1]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, ariel and hook forevaaaa, this is probably my favorite au i've ever written
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-14
Updated: 2017-09-06
Packaged: 2018-05-06 16:04:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 32
Words: 24,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5423303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silkiemae/pseuds/silkiemae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>’ .. now the sirens have a still more fatal weapon than their song,<br/>namely their silence .. someone might possibly have escaped from their singing;<br/>but from their silence, certainly never.’</p><p>~ from ’the complete stories’ by franz kafka</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Death's One Hell of an Adventure

The Jolly Roger pushed on through the storm as the men aboard kept their lips shut tight and their fists clasped around the rough ropes. It didn’t matter that the skin of their palms was rubbed raw, nor did it matter that they were all chilled to the bone. They had treasure to find and right now that and the promise of a warm bed and meal at the end of the journey was all that was keeping them going.

 

A man stood at the head of the boat, one hand wrapped around the ship’s helm. But his left hand, or rather his left hook was simply held close to his chest as he battled through the storm, a grin of pure greed on his lips. The man was all shadows and sharp lines and as the thunder roiled above he laughed loudly, tossing back his head and shaking back his now soaked hair. “Cap’n, this storm will be the death of us,” a small round man with a red cap gurgled as water was currently sloshing around in his mouth.

 

“Good,” the Captain said with a wink at the man. “I bet death’s a hell of an adventure, Smee.” The men on the deck below him were all chanting loudly and the Captain simply hummed along to the melody while Smee continued to look baffled.

 

“Cap’n! What treasure is it we’re looking for exactly? You never told us,” Smee said as he watched the man with a frightened curiosity.

 

The Captain then turned to look at Smee with that same amount of malice in his grin. “A mermaid, Smee. We’re going to catch ourselves a mermaid.”


	2. You Still Smell Like the Ocean

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> present.

The ship came out of nowhere but she would’ve recognized it anywhere. Ariel had been standing on the beach for hours staring at the water lapping her toes. It had taken her so long just to learn how to walk, even to run. How long would it be till she could learn to swim again? When the ship appeared she had wanted to run, but something kept her in place as it wobbled and nearly toppled on its side but somehow was righted just as death seemed imminent. These days she didn’t doubt anything—she was hardly surprised by miracles anymore. Not since he tore her from the water.

 

There was a town just left of where she had been standing and she knew that he would dock the Jolly Roger there. She wanted to be there when he got off and she wanted to see his face as he realized that she was still alive and she was no longer his trinket. Just as she turned to leave however a shadow appeared before her, arms crossed and hip popped. She knew who it was and she knew it was telling her to turn around now.

 

“Tell Peter I’ll come back, I just want to visit the town for a bit,” she promised, taking a step forward but the shadow once again blocked her path. “You know I’m not going to _say_ anything. I can’t. Not unless he gives me back full control of my voice,” she muttered, reaching down to the pendant wrapped around her throat.

 

The shadow seemed to sigh before shrugging and disappearing back in the sand. Ariel couldn’t help but smile at her triumph before nearly sprinting to town. The ship had already gotten so close to shore she was terrified she wouldn’t make it in time. She had just stepped into the border when she could see that the ship was so close that if she wanted to, she could make a running jump and land on its dock.

 

But instead she stopped her running and caught her breath. She wouldn’t let him see how eager she was to see him again, even if it was for all the wrong reasons. She stopped, flattening her hair and pulling the skirts of her dress so that they would lay unwrinkled. Then she began walking, not toward the ship exactly but in a way that when he stepped off he would see her.

 

She stopped at one of the vendors who had dozens of fake crystal balls that he was trying desperately to pawn off for any amount of gold. He smiled toothily at Ariel as she picked one up and turned it in her hands. “What about that pretty pendant, darling?” the man said reaching for the jewel around her throat but the second his hand brushed it he yanked it back howling with pain and rage. “What kind of magic is this?”

 

“Not the kind you’d like to mess with,” she murmured, giving him a regrettable look. “These are lovely but I’m afraid I have no money to give at the moment,” she whispered but as she spoke a handful of gold coins dropped down on the table.

 

“Give the girl what she likes,” came a hard voice. She knew that voice. She had heard it all too often such a long time ago and she could feel his torso pressed against her back. Ariel took a deep breath, closing her eyes and taking one of the more ornamental balls in her hand before thanking the vendor who was gathering the coins with his uninjured hand.

 

“I didn’t think you were coming back,” she murmured, clutching the ball to her chest. She wanted to turn around and look at him but she was terrified. It was one thing to see his ship again but a completely other thing to see his face.

 

“Nor I,” he whispered and she could feel his nose in her hair, inhaling deeply. “You still smell like the ocean,” he laughed.

 

Finally Ariel turned, her gaze hard as she spat at him. “I haven’t been near it since you took me from it.” The words came out as cold as she wanted them but her glare faltered when she looked at him. Still very much the same…all shadows and sharp lines—still beautiful. She sucked in her lower lip before removing one of her hands from the ball and reaching up to touch him.

 

Her hand hovered just inches from his skin and he had closed his eyes leaning into where he wished she would touch him. But instead of the soft caress they had both been expecting, there was a harsh slap. “I don’t know why you’re here. I don’t want to know. Just stay away from me, _Hook_. For both our sakes,” and with that she walked away.


	3. A Pretty Penny

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> past

 

Captain Killian Jones had his entire crew on the land—all except for Smee who remained on the ship should anyone attempt to commandeer it. Of course, the only risk would’ve been the natives and he highly doubted they understood the meaning of commandeer.

 

The group was spread across the island, looking in any part that contained water.  Some were just skirting the borders of it while others were waist deep, kicking through in the hope of finding a half naked woman with a fishtail instead of legs.

 

Every single pirate knew to keep their mouths shut near the mermaid, if they spoke just one little word it gave the mermaid permission to sing and if a mermaid sang to you, you were almost certainly dead.  That didn’t mean they weren’t eager, and that certainly didn’t mean they weren’t mumbling among themselves what they’d like to do with a mermaid.

 

Killian had found his own little savannah in the center of the island. There was a pretty little waterfall and moss covered rocks, and it even housed a little cave within the waterfall. He motioned to the pirates there and indicated he was to go inside and they were to remain on the outskirts, lest he scare one out. 

 

He hadn’t actually expected to find anyone inside.  As he snuck in, trying to remain as quiet as possible he saw a lone figure sitting on one of the moss-covered rocks. For a moment he was rendered speechless. Her bare back was to him but it was covered with hair the color of a beryl gemstone.  Her tail was green and it was swaying gently, just the fins brushing the water and if he listened close enough he could hear her humming.

 

Killian couldn’t keep the grin from his lips as he treaded forward, silently withdrawing his sword.  When he got close enough he didn’t even bother to keep up with the stealth as he jumped into the water just before her.  The girl turned, her eyes wide and blue and for a moment Killian was stunned silent again—but she hissed at him revealing sharp inhuman teeth. Then she dropped from the stone, attempting to swim past him but he struck out his sword, managing to snag it in her fin.  She writhed her tail pathetically, her long fingers grappling with the blade only to slice her skin with it and blood from her fingers dripped into the water to join the blood from her tail.

 

She whimpered feebly, pulling back and pressing herself as far as she could into the cave wall.  Killian grinned once more, stepping over her tail to squat directly over her—he removed his sword only to earn another pain induced cry.  He sheathed his sword then and with his hand he grabbed her face, covering her mouth with his skin.  “Now, I know how this works, pet,” he said before releasing her mouth. He darted forward, smashing his lips to hers.  “A kiss from a mermaid can keep a sailor from drowning, not to mention you can’t sing now, can you?”

 

“Bastard,” was all she hissed before Killian called for the others. He was too busy gloating to see the lone tear that trickled down the side of her face—even if he were to notice it he would most likely think it seawater.

 

Moments passed where the naked girl continued to try and will herself to become one with the cave wall and Killian leered over her, basking in his victory. Not only did he catch himself a mermaid but he got the gift of her kiss as well—now he’ll never drown. Several of the pirates who had been waiting outside for him came in, carrying a glass box that was halfway filled with water from the ocean.  The mermaid saw it and her eyes widened and again she tried to escape from Killian but he merely stuck his hook in the wound on her tail.

 

“Please,” she whispered, her voice hoarse from lack of use. A mermaid almost never spoke unless given permission by a human’s voice—now that she had lost her ability to sing all she could do was speak.  “Don’t make me go in there.”

 

“So she does speak!” Killian said, leaning forward.  “The legends are true then.”

 

“I’ll tell you anything you want to know,” she croaked. “Just _don’t put me in there._ ”  He seemed to consider her request for a moment, his eyes searching her face before he simply winked at her.

 

“Sorry, love.  I’ll put you in there _and_ you’ll tell me whatever I want to know.  Not to mention you’ll fetch me a pretty penny.”  He removed his hook from her wound, before grabbing her arm and nodding for another pirate to join him.  It took only two of them to hoist her into the glass box once Killian released her—they then sealed her in with a lid, complete with little air pockets for her to breath out of.

 

“Do we really have to sell her?” asked one of the pirates as he looked longingly at the naked girl.  “Can’t we just keep this one around…for fun?” 

 

Killian’s usual prowess disappeared from his face as he looked at the pirate in disgust. “Get your head out of the gutter, Jones. If any of you so much as touch her I’ll have your manhood sliced off.  Is that understood?”  There was a resounding chorus of ‘ayes’ and then they were off to return to the ship.

 

As they traveled, if they listened closely they could hear the sad hum of the mermaid’s who had lost a sister—the girl in the tank pressing her ear against the tank, desperate to sing but without her voice.


	4. Peter's Shadow

Ariel ran from the town, knowing that Killian wouldn’t follow her. He hadn’t come here for her; he was here for a different reason, one she didn’t care to know. It was foolish of her to go to that town just to get a glimpse of him. She had wanted him to see her and she had wanted him to know that she was alive and that she hated him. She balled her hands into fists, closing her eyes as hot tears escaped and rolled down her cheeks.

 

She had grown used to the idea of never seeing the Captain again. She had grown used to the idea of never stepping foot on the Jolly Roger again—but now here they were. All so close to her and she could do nothing but warn him away. Ariel found herself on the beach again and when she was a good distance from the town the shadow had returned, hands on its hips. No doubt Peter had sent it to escort her home.

 

Once more, she wiped at her eyes knowing that Peter would wonder and she wasn’t really in the mood for interrogation. As she began walking toward the forest the shadow continued to glide besides her, tilting its head almost as though it were mocking her. _Flying would be easier, you know._ Ariel shot the shadow a glare, though it couldn’t speak she could always tell what it was thinking—though Peter’s shadow was slightly kinder than he, there thought process always seemed to be on the same level.

 

“I can walk just fine,” she grumbled, making a point to stomp her feet as harshly as she could into the ground. She couldn’t help but roll her eyes at the irony, considering she had said these words what felt like ages ago and had ended up flat on her face instead. The shadow simply shrugged before gliding in circles around her.

 

As she strode through the cleared path in the forest she thought of what possible reason Killian had to return here. How he could be so stupid to come back to Neverland when he knew what was in store for him and those he must’ve come with. While she walked she realized that she couldn’t tell Peter she had seen him. She didn’t even want to think of what he might do upon learning that Hook had returned.

 

It wasn’t long before she found the camp where the Lost Boys were roaming around all with scowls on their too young faces. It always saddened her to see this camp full of boys who could never go home to their mothers—they were like her, never to see their families again. In some sort of aspect she was like a mother to them considering Peter hardly ever allowed her to leave his side—and he acted as a father. A very harsh, strict, terrifying father.

 

As they caught sight of Ariel they all lifted their scowls only slightly to nod in welcome to Ariel, but as soon as they caught sight of the shadow that followed her, their scowls returned and they continued to sulk around. The Lost Boy’s home was made up of tents and caravans. Little balls of fire floated high in the air, providing warmth and light—but they were also a way for Peter to see every little move the boys made. They were his eyes and ears, as the shadow was his way to follow Ariel and keep track of her at all times.

 

The largest tent sat at the tip of the little campgrounds and it was the color of smoke. It literally looked as if it was shrouded in the stuff but Ariel knew better by now that they were the shadows of those who had failed him. She closed her eyes as she walked through the opening the shadows parting for her and Peter’s shadow following her inside.

 

The tent had grown familiar to her over the past few months—familiar but not at all homely. A large oak table stood at the right front corner, surrounded by chairs; maps and sketches were scattered across it. She had never been allowed to look at them and should she try the consequences would never be pretty. On the left side stood a dressing screen with robes and dresses thrown over the side. Then there were the pillows and blankets at the front of the tent, and there was Peter sprawled out among the decorative pillows.

 

At first all she could see was a head of copper hair and then it was as if something had alerted him to her presence. He rolled over and looked up at her a friendly smile on his face. If she didn’t fear him so much she probably would have thought him beautiful—freckles were scattered across his face and his eyes were such a bright blue with his sun-darkened skin. “Ariel,” was all he said and then lifted a hand to beckon her over to him.

 

She sat beside him, her skirts billowing out around her and Peter practically rolled into her lap, his elbow propped on her thigh. He looked up at her and brought his fingers up to trace her collarbone, just below the pendant he had permanently placed there. “My sweet little fishy, what have you been up to today?” His fingers were no longer a caress as they wrapped around her throat and tightened, constricting her airway. In one fluid motion he brought her down so that she was lying beneath him, his thighs wrapped around her chest. He brought his face close to hers, his cheeks reddening and spit flying on her face as he spoke. “You saw him didn’t you?”

 

“Saw who?” she cried, trying desperately to become one with the silk blankets beneath her.

 

“Don’t play games with me, Ariel. I _know_ you saw him—my shadow followed you there. I saw everything. I saw you practically run to him, knowing he would spot you from the moment he got off that boat. You think he wouldn’t recognize you just from the color of your hair?” he said, grabbing a handful of her bright red locks. “Did you think I wouldn’t see you practically begging him to take you back?” He yanked on her hair, causing her to cry out in pain and arch her neck in an attempt to ease it.

 

His free hand traced down the curve of her throat, stopping just above the pendant. “Did you think he wouldn’t recognize my symbol?” They were both silent then, the only sound being Ariel’s shuddering gasps. Peter sighed then, releasing her hair but lowering his lips to press gently against her throat. “You’re _mine_ , Ariel. He has no claim over you now. The sooner you realize that the better. He _left_ you.”

 

Ariel lifted her head to look him in the eyes, seeing them bright and wet almost as if he were about to cry. With a shaky hand, she reached out to touch him and winced as he flinched away for a moment and then allowed him to touch her. “You frighten me,” she whispered, her fingers trailing down his cheek and over his thick lips.

 

“Good,” he murmured, his lids lowering as he relaxed in her grip his thighs sliding down so that he lay on top of her, his forearms holding him to hover above her. “Remember that Hook left you, Ariel. I never will, nor will you ever leave me.” Her throat felt so constricted with fear that all she could do is let out a gasp, which to him probably sounded like relief.

 

So he did the only thing that was left and kissed her.


	5. Killian Jones, At Your Service

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> past.

Killian and the others walked for what felt like hours—the pirates carrying the little mermaid’s glass tank grunting and groaning over the weight. Clearly the girl didn’t weigh much but the thick glass tank full of sloshing water and a girl who was being tossed about was bound to get heavy. After what felt like the millionth complaint Killian finally gave in before commanding them to set the girl down and to pitch a tent. The others all went to fetch wood to begin building a fire.

 

They had placed the girl’s tank down by a little opening in the palm trees and Killian found himself going to sit beside her. He raked his hook through the sand and dirt, tracing letters in the ground. Out of the corner of his eye he could see the girl watching him, curious as to what he was drawing but she still had herself pressed in the furthest corner of the tank. Her fear radiated off her in waves and while Killian was glad of it he also wanted the mermaid to feel at ease—even if he was planning on selling her to the highest bidder.

 

After hours of silence the tents and the fire were finally built. The men all sat around the fire, drunk on their own glee of catching a mermaid—a real living mermaid, and on the liquor they had been toting around. They chanted songs they sang only at the happiest of times on the ship and Killian couldn’t help but grin. His grin fell slightly however when he heard the slight whimpers beside him. He glanced over to find the girl with her tail curved up, her elbow pressed against it and her head in the curve of her arm. Her back shook as she sobbed, her hair splayed around her face.

 

Killian found himself feeling uneasy at the sound of the girl’s cries and eventually he was scooting himself closer to the glass. “I know how you must feel,” he said; softly, though she still jumped at the sound of his voice so close to hers. She looked at him, disgust and contempt evident in her eyes.

 

“How could you?” she whispered. “I highly doubt some aliens came and took you from your home, stabbed you and then put you in a glass box.” He noticed a pleasant ring to her voice, even though she was furious with him and terrified he couldn’t help but enjoy the sound of her voice when it didn’t resemble a caterwauling toad.

 

“We’ve all got to do what’s best for us—you can’t blame me for wanting a better life,” he said finally getting the little mermaid to meet his eyes. He smiled slightly at her as she drifted closer to him but then she spat at the glass.

 

“At the expense of mine!” she snarled. “I hope life brings you nothing but pain and sorrow.” Killian laughed for a moment before standing up, knocking the lid from her prison and grabbing a handful of her hair. She cried out, swearing at him and clutching at his hand as he pulled her up so that he could look directly in her eyes.

 

“You’ve no idea what pain and sorrow I’ve suffered, little girl. I don’t give a damn about you or your precious little tail; all I care about is the gold you’ll get me. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that I have a heart.” Angry tears rolled down her cheeks and this time he noticed. He loosened his grip on her hair, his face softening ever so slightly. “What’s your name?”

 

“Why does it matter? You’ve made it quite clear you don’t care about me or my _precious little tail_.” His hand tightened on her hair and she whimpered once more knowing what he was indicating. _Tell me your name._ “Ariel,” she cried. “My name is Ariel.”

 

“Ariel,” he repeated, releasing her hair and allowing her to sink back into her tank. He smiled at her like a child looking in at a fish in an aquarium before stepping back and mock bowing. “Killian Jones, at your service. Or as most like to call me, Captain Hook.”

 

Her eyes landed on the gleaming hook attached to his left arm, “clever,” Ariel muttered.


	6. Tomorrow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> present.

Night had fallen quickly and after Peter had finished with her, Ariel felt dirty. So soon after, she found herself filling one of the iron bathtubs with water from the steaming well. She understood the power Peter possessed now and didn’t question how he was able to make a well produce warm water—she didn’t care to question anything these days. All she could do was be grateful she was still alive.

 

She removed the dress that was hardly a dress anymore—reduced to tatters from Peter’s eager fingers, and stepped gingerly into the bath. The water felt brilliant against her skin, still numb from the cold.

 

As Ariel sunk into the bathtub and slowly submerged her head so that her hair floated above her face like bright red seaweed. Bubbles popped to the surface as she exhaled, and she found herself closing her eyes, wishing she could just sink away into the tub and find herself once more in the sea. When she could no longer hold her breath she returned to the surface, gasping and found with a shock that she was crying.

 

It was so hard to sit in water and be unable to breathe in it like she used to. To have lungs so damaged that she could no longer even breathe her own air. She remembered when Killian had questioned her, wondering how she was able to breathe both in water and on land and she simply ignored him—refusing to answer his silly questions, knowing what he planned to do with her. It made him angry of course, but that was the difference between Killian and Peter—Killian would never hurt her, not even when he could care less about her.

 

Ariel sighed once more, wiping at her eyes as she simply let the water soak into her skin—she glanced down at her legs. Her perfectly, shiny legs. She had wanted them, begged for them; now that she had them she wished they would melt together and turn into the tail that she missed so badly. They were unnatural—she had seen other girls, with a fine coat of hair over the skin of their legs but hers would always be smooth and perfect. Perhaps this was a good thing but Ariel would always consider it to be alien, just like her.

 

Her eyes snapped open as she heard _something_ shift, and as she glanced around expecting Peter’s shadow to be lurking in the corner, she saw nothing. Apparently Peter was still asleep and hadn’t noticed her missing, but there was still something out there. She nearly fell on her face as she struggled to get out of the tub, grabbing the nearest article of clothing she could find and pulling it over her. It was one of the men’s white blouses—it belonged to one of the larger men so it was too loose in the arms and reached just below her rear. Just as the shirt was pulled on though someone had entered the tent—she couldn’t make out their face but they were much too tall to Peter and for a moment she was terrified it was one of the Lost Boys. Though there were some who still wished to go home, most were on Peter’s side, malicious and eager to do the terrible things Peter commanded.

 

“What do you want?” she whispered, taking a step backward, her bare feet slippery on the tent ground. “Get out,” she hissed again, reaching behind her in search of any type of weapon.

 

“So the lucky buyer was Peter Pan, was it?” came a voice she wasn’t ready to hear. There was bitterness all over his words and some sort of pity in them. She knew he could only imagine the torments Peter had put her through—lord knows what he had tried to do to him.

 

“Killian,” she whimpered, stepping forward and shakily reaching for him. She had warned him away, but seeing him now even in the darkness where she could hardly make out his face was like torture. There were many times she spent in his arms and she yearned for that now.

 

He remained still but when she tripped on her own tattered dress he caught her—wrapping his arms firmly around her waist. When she glanced up at him, she saw the anger tightening his jaw—realized that he saw the torn dress and she immediately hid her face once more.

 

“You have to go,” she whispered. “He’ll find you—he has eyes everywhere.”

 

“No, not eyes. Just shadows and scared little boys,” he growled, arms tightening around her still. “Let me take you away.” Ariel almost wanted to laugh at how things seemed to have just picked off where they left off. She should hate him, should deny him and tell him to go to hell. He was the reason she was here—he was the reason she was stuck with Peter.

 

“I can’t,” she whispered, pulling away from him. “He’ll find me.” Her fingers drifted to the pendant on her throat, hovering just above the actual jewel. Killian’s eyes followed her hand and his expression darkened even more.

 

“What if I told you I’m with several very powerful people? They could more than likely find a way to remove that jewel of yours,” as he spoke a small smirk grew on his face and Ariel wanted nothing more than to say yes.

 

“But what if it doesn’t work? You don’t understand what he can do,” she whispered.

 

“He let you alone in town today—meet me there again. Tomorrow.” Killian didn’t give her the opportunity to say no, he simply tucked a strand of her soaked hair behind her ear before releasing her and disappearing from the tent.

 

“Tomorrow,” she whispered, clutching at her chest.


	7. Men are the Most Dangerous Things in the World

Ariel woke with a start as her cage was lifted and shaken violently, sending her into the wall of it. She gasped, and if she were human she would’ve been choking on the water that flew down her throat. They were on a beach now and she realized she must’ve slept through the night and well into the day because just down the shoreline she could see a ship.

 

Panic suddenly set in as she realized she was really, truly being taken away from her home and there was nothing she or anyone else could do to stop it. Her father and sisters were powerless on land—the only thing she could do was try and break free from the cage and drag herself back to the water; but she knew the pirates would catch her well before that.

 

“So mermaids do sleep,” Killian said, causing her to jump away from the glass. There was nowhere else for her to go however, so she ended up landing against the other side of the glass. The pirates grunted at the sudden weight change and she shifted over, terrified of the glass breaking. She ignored the hook-handed pirate and simply continued trying to think of a plausible mean of escape.

 

“That’s something I’ve always been curious about. There are so many myths regarding mermaids—their kiss can save a sailor from drowning, for one. And I’ve already got that,” he said with a wink. “But mermaids are half human so since you can breathe our air, _and_ in the water; would you die out of water?” Killian continued to ponder aloud questions he had about mermaids. Her heart constricted at the thought of being released on the sand, flopping around like a fool in front of these pirates.

 

Even she had no idea what would happen if she were on land for long enough. She’d been out of water plenty of times, sitting on the rocks in the den just brushing out her hair and listening to the waterfall—however, she was only out of it a few minutes at a time.

 

She knew though that she was far too valuable to Killian to risk her death. He may have said he didn’t give a damn about her but he needed her alive to make money off of her—or at least she hoped he did.

 

As she was stubbornly ignoring Killian and keeping her mouth shut—they boarded the ship. Killian muttered something but she was too busy examining the boat to care. She’d seen them in the distance before but never up close. Her father had always warned her away from them claiming that monsters were on board and should they ever catch sight of her they would take her away from him. She’d always thought he was just being silly but now she knew how right he was.

 

He’d told her stories of how he had overheard the monsters, while he’d surfaced for reasons she never knew—they said things about the mermaids, the myths about them and how they’d love to get their hands on one. Men, the monsters were called—men were the most dangerous things in the world.

 

The pirates took Ariel into a room then, one much smaller than the place they had boarded, covered with wood and large wooden poles. This room had a strange metal bowl and just as she pressed her face to the glass to look at it, she was ungraciously dumped into it. The water slopping over the edge of it and onto the floors; the pirates left and Killian stepped inside, a smirk on his lips as he looked at the naked mermaid in his bathtub.

 

“How do you like your room?” he asked, gesturing to the small room. All that was there was the tub, which she still couldn’t understand—and a little wooden chair which Killian now sat on.

 

“What are you going to do with me?” was all she asked, unable to hold her tongue any longer. She just wanted to know her fate and then she would never speak again.

 

“I’m going to take you back to the mainland and I’m going to sell you to the highest bidder. You’ll make me a lot of money, and then you’ll never have to see me again,” Killian said, a little smile on his lips. Ariel stared at him, her lower lip quivering as she fought to keep her mouth shut.

 

“Please don’t,” she whispered, her resolve shattering. Killian lifted his eyebrows, but laughed, leaning back in the chair. “ _Please_ ,” she begged. “My father used to tell me stories…I’m scared of what they’ll do to me.”

 

“That’s really none of my concern any more,” Killian shrugged, standing up. He started to head to the door until he heard a near silent _please_ , and another sob that he rolled his eyes and turned. Ariel had her head pressed against her arm, that ruby red hair falling over the side of the bathtub. “If it helps, I’ll try and sell you to someone who…will be gentle with you.”


	8. Bite Your Tongue, Little Mermaid

Killian stood at the helm of his ship watching the sky lighten—waiting anxiously for the moment he would get to see his little mermaid again. The others still didn’t know whom it was they were going to meet or for what reason but Killian had promised them it was something worth waiting a night for. Of course, once they figured out that he was lying he was sure they would all be furious with him but he couldn’t really afford to care.

 

Ariel was trapped with Peter Pan and that was something he couldn’t allow. He had promised her he would leave her with someone kind, someone that wouldn’t harm her—but things got out of control and now she was with the worst of them. He closed his eyes, looking away from the slowly lifting sun.

 

“Don’t tell me this person we’re meeting tomorrow is Peter Pan,” came the familiar voice of Emma Swan. Killian furrowed his brow, turning to meet her and caught the humorous expression on her face. “Does he really wear the green tights and hat?”

 

“No,” he said slowly. Sometimes he forgot that Emma had thought their world a fairy tale. “Trust me, Swan. You don’t want to meet Peter Pan,” he said darkly before returning his gaze to the horizon.

 

“Okay,” Emma said, coming to stand beside him. “Then who are we meeting?”

 

Killian was quiet for a long time before looking at Emma. “An old friend,” was all he said before walking away from her. “Get some sleep, Swan. While you still can.”

 

“You seriously think I’ll be able to sleep at all when Henry’s out there? Who knows what Tamara and Greg are doing with him or what they even want with him,” Emma said, growing more and more distressed with every word. Killian watched as she spoke for once completely sympathizing with someone before placing his hand on her shoulder.

 

“We’ll find him, Swan. Don’t worry.” Emma looked at him; eyes wide completely astonished by his kindness and then just as soon as it had come it disappeared as he walked away. He went into the Captain’s quarters and shut the door, no doubt locking them behind him so Emma couldn’t follow.

 

\--- 

 

Ariel had managed to sneak back into Peter’s tent without being seen or heard. She lay down beside him; though there wasn’t much space for her too lay down at first. He was sprawled out in all possible angles but it was as though he sensed her presence because the second she sat down he was moving to accommodate her. He wrapped his arms around her torso, pulling her close to him and pressing his lips against the crook of her neck.

 

She shuddered slightly, the feel of his hot breath against her skin making her skin crawl. How often had she felt disgusted by his touch and had had no choice but to deal with it? It was a possibility now that she could escape that—it was an actual probability that she could run away from him and to her pirate. She closed her eyes, smiling for what felt like the first time in a long time.

 

“How was your bath?” Peter whispered in her ear and Ariel froze. He didn’t choke her this time, just trailed his fingers along her collarbone; out of the corner of her eyes she could see his thick-lipped smile. He looked pleased with himself. “You know how I feel about you lying to me, fishy. I imagine you’ve forgotten what this little pendant is for. It’s been so long since I’ve had to use it on you but it seems you’ve given me no choice.” Ariel’s heart was beating in her throat and she knew Peter could feel it because his smile had widened.

 

“Peter, please,” was all she whispered as he pressed little butterfly kisses along her shoulders. He sighed, and then rested his chin on her shoulder peering up at her.

 

“Please what?” he said, his voice mocking as he watched the terrified girl beneath him. She wondered what satisfaction he got out of keeping her compliant and scared—now that she had disobeyed him she wondered what he would do.

 

“Don’t do this,” she gasped, closing her eyes, a lone tear slipping from the corner of her eye. Peter wiped the tear away with his thumb before placing it in his mouth, licking the tear away.

 

“It’s amazing to me that your tears taste like the ocean,” he murmured, more to himself than to anything. Then he reached under his pillow, drawing out a wicked looking dagger. Ariel held her breath—she knew what the dagger was for and that it wouldn’t touch her but that didn’t stop it from scaring her. He pricked his thumb on it, only frowning for a second before placing his thumb on the pendant. It didn’t burn him like it did the others in fact she imagined it felt cool to the touch. He drew away his thumb and watched as the pendant absorbed his blood and then began to glow a dim purple.

 

He looked at Ariel then and saw that her eyes were wide and bright, glowing the same purple as the gem. He could see the pain and strain as she tried to resist the influence of the gem but she was no match for it. “Did Hook come to see you tonight?” he asked.

 

“Yes,” she gasped.

 

“What did he say?” As Peter spoke he drew little trails along the bare skin of her arm—she had changed into a night gown instead of the men’s shirt she had originally thrown on, knowing that Peter would not like it.

 

“He said that he was with powerful people…that they might be able to remove your pendant…. that he wanted to take me away from you,” each word came out of her as if it were pulled from her throat. Peter’s jaw clenched then as he straightened up and glared down at her.

 

“What else?” he snarled, and she truly was terrified then.

 

“He wants me to meet him in town….today.”

 

The glow diminished from both the pendant and her eyes then and Ariel fought to breathe normally as Peter looked murderous. He stood up pacing then, clearly thinking through what he wanted to do. She imagined it must be some sort of punishment for her and she shakily sat up, wiping away her tears and tried desperately to bite her tongue.

 

“Well,” Peter finally said, turning to look at Ariel with a wicked grin. “We shouldn’t keep him waiting.”


	9. The Questionnaire and the Midnight Stroll

Killian found himself visiting the mermaid quite often, leaving Smee in control of the helm. It would take them several days to get back to the mainland and then half of a week just to get to the trading plaza on the main land. He had plenty of time to learn about his little mermaid. He sat in that room with her, bringing her fresh seawater every day and just talking to her. He never really spoke to her about anything important or even substantial. He would just talk about the sea and how magnificent it was—or about how some of the pirates on his crew were fools. Sometimes he would earn a smile from Ariel but never an actual answer.

 

She hadn’t actually spoken since the night they arrived on the ship, simply staring into the distance or combing her hair with her fingers. Occasionally when he’d sneak up on her, Killian could hear her humming to herself—but he knew that she wouldn’t ever be able to sing again…at least not unless he gave her another kiss. He wasn’t foolish enough to risk that though, she would be able to kill them all.

 

It was late in the evening on the third day out to sea, where Killian had left the helm to Smee once more and found himself sitting by the mermaid’s side. Ariel was looking away with him, simply flipping her tail in the water watching the waves and the glimmer of her scales. It was something she’d seen often, but it kept her from drifting off and thinking of her father and sisters—something she was trying desperately to avoid. Killian was leaned back on the chair, his boots propped up on the side of Ariel’s tub and he was talking once more about the ocean.

 

Ariel hated it when he would talk about it and how he belonged to it…how it called to him like a beacon of light. Every time he spoke of the water she’d have to look away from him, or to bite her lip to focus on the pain there instead of the agony in her chest. It was on the evening of the third day that she finally whispered ‘stop’.

 

Killian was completely taken aback and he looked at her in utter astonishment. “What was that, little mermaid?” he whispered, scooting forward and placing his arms where his boots had been. She held her tongue, simply looking at him with a deep frown. “Have I upset you, love? My apologies—it was not my intention. Perhaps…if you joined the conversation I’m trying to have we could find other things to speak about? Instead of your lost home, that is.”

 

Ariel closed her eyes briefly, before swallowing her pride and parting her lips. “What would you like to talk about?” she whispered and seeing the satisfaction in the pirate’s eyes she wished she’d kept her mouth shut.

 

“Do all mermaids speak English?” he said, asking the first thing that popped into his mind. Ariel looked at him through narrowed eyes before letting out a gust of air.

 

“No,” she muttered. The evening continued like this with Killian asking her silly questions and Ariel giving the most simplified answer she could muster. Eventually, Killian grew tired and ventured out to his quarters.

 

She noticed, however, that he had left the door slightly ajar, not locked as it usually was. She glanced around, trying to see through the crack in the door—looking for any movement. After a few minutes she deemed the coast to be clear and took several deep breaths before planting her hands firmly on the ledge of the tub. She pushed with all the strength she could muster until she managed to pull herself over and fall onto the deck. She cringed at the noise that it made waiting to see if anyone would come rushing in.

 

When no one did she rolled onto her belly and began crawling—it turned out to be quite a workout. She’d never had to pull her entire lower half along before and by the time she reached the door she was already exhausted and out of breath. Ariel glanced out the crack in the door, still seeing no one and catching sight of how close the ledge of the ship was. If she could just make it there before anyone saw her she’d be free.

 

She shoved the door open and continued pulling herself along nearly shouting out with joy when she grasped the ledge. Just _one_ more pull and she’d be free! Then there was something surrounding her and she couldn’t move, she was thrashing and pulling but she was stuck and when she finally stopped fighting long enough to look through the loops in the trap, she saw Hook.

 

“Off on a midnight stroll, love? I think you’re headed the wrong way,” he said, another satisfactory grin on his face. “Bring her to my quarters—put the tub in there. Looks like you need a babysitter, lass.”


	10. A Deal with the Crocodile

Killian stood near the vendor he had seen Ariel first, the old man with the fake crystal balls, with Emma and the others. It was an odd group, especially because the only one who truly looked as though they belonged was Killian. Throughout his venture to Storybrooke he had never bothered to change out of the outfit he had come in—aside of course, for that brief stint in the hospital gown. He shuddered thinking about it and looked at the people he stood with. Emma Swan who had only ever come to this world by accident, had her arms close around her torso as she waited—clearly impatient to find her son. Then there were Snow White and her Prince Charming, David; the prodigal couple, the ones who could do no wrong—and Emma’s parents. And then of course there was Regina and Rumpelstiltskin. The two he was most uneasy around but they had all come to an alliance in order to find Henry.

 

“So where is he?” Rumpelstiltskin said, leaning on his gold-headed cane. Killian eyed him angrily wanting nothing more than to slice that grin from his face. “This mysterious contact you seemed to have found in the day we’ve been here. Where is he, Hook?” With each word, Killian’s anger bubbled and he forced himself to keep his hook clutched to his chest instead of embedding it in Rumpelstiltskin’s.

 

“[i] _She’ll[/i]_ be here,” he growled.

 

“She?” Regina said quirking an eyebrow as she stood slightly away from everyone else. Killian turned to give her a cold stare, silencing her but not diminishing her smile. Regina had more than likely already figured out whom exactly they were waiting for but she kept her mouth shut. Killian wasn’t sure why but for the moment he was grateful.

 

Then he saw her. He let out a low breath before taking a tentative step forwards. She was walking slowly into the town, in a pair of black men’s trousers and a dark blue tunic. He saw the terror in her face and he knew something must be wrong or perhaps she was just terrified that Pan knew where she was. In any case, his resolve to erase that fear increased.

 

“Here she is,” he breathed before going to her. She saw him and gave him a slight, shaky smile. He took her hand in his, running his thumb along the back of it—still silky smooth as he remembered. “Don’t worry, lass. Everything is going to be alright.”

 

“Killian…” she sighed, and he knew there was something she needed to say but could not and he wanted more than anything for her to say it. Her eyes flicked behind him and he knew that the others were close now so she simply closed her mouth.

 

“Let’s go aboard the Jolly Roger,” Killian said, glancing between the others and his mermaid. “We’ll have more privacy there.”

 

 ---

 

“Can you help her?” Killian said when Rumpelstiltskin and Regina finished examining the pendant wrapped tightly around Ariel’s throat. Regina’s fingers were grazing just above her slender white neck, just barely touching the black string.

 

“Why should we?” Regina said suddenly, leaning back and glaring at Killian. “What will we gain if we help her?” Ariel had remained silent throughout the entire endeavor, simply holding onto Killian’s hand tightly as the two examined her. Snow, David and Emma hadn’t said a word throughout the entire ordeal, simply watching with deep looks of concern on their faces.

 

“Regina,” David warned, but the woman simply ignored him.

 

“Regina’s right,” Emma said. “We don’t even know this girl, why should we help her?”

 

“Emma!” Snow said, holding her hand to her heart as she watched her daughter. Emma glanced at her mother, sighing and brushing her blonde hair out of her face.

 

“Mary Margaret, we don’t know this girl. If she’s friends with Hook how can we trust her?” Killian could never get used to the random name switches between this group of people, sometimes calling Rumpelstiltskin, Mr. Gold and Snow, Mary Margaret—as he understood it, it had something to do with the curse Regina had placed on them all.

 

“We can trust her,” said Rumpelstiltskin surprising them all. Even Killian stared at him with wide eyes. Ariel merely had her little fingers wrapped tightly around Killian’s and they both saw that Rumpelstiltskin’s eyes were on their hands.

 

“And how do you know that?” Regina said, her eyes narrowed into slits as she watched the man.

 

“Because before she was his [i] _friend[/i]_ as you call it, she was his prisoner. I know a little bit about a relationship like that as you may already know.” Rumpelstiltskin stood up and looked Killian directly in the eye. “If I agree to help your [i] _friend[/i]_ here, we’re even. You stop this vendetta against me and against Belle, not just for this trip…. but forever.”

 

Killian was quiet for a long moment before he looked at Ariel who stared up at him with wide blue eyes, and then he nodded. “Deal,” he said quietly brushing a stray lock of hair out of her face with his hook.

 

“I still want to know what we gain by helping her,” Emma said. Killian tore his gaze from his mermaid and glared at Emma.

 

“The last time I was here this place was haunted by shadows and a man named Peter Pan. He steals children from their beds and once they touch the ground they’re never allowed to return home again. They never age, either. That,” he said, pointing to the pendant wrapped around Ariel’s neck, “was placed there by Peter Pan. Now, you can imagine why she might be helpful to us when she’s been living with a man who collects [i] _children[/i]_.”

 

For a moment they were all quiet. “Okay. Get that thing off of her.”


	11. Just Ask for a Kiss

Killian’s Quarters had a window and through that window she could see the sea. In a way, it was almost worse than that little room with nothing to see at all. She was perched on the very edge of the tub, staring out the window and watching as the sun dipped into the horizon and her beautiful home welcomed her. Her body ached knowing she couldn’t return its embrace.

 

“You know I did this to protect you,” Killian’s voice came and she jumped, splashing water onto the deck of his Quarters and sinking further into the water.

 

“If you were trying to protect me you would’ve let me go back home,” she said, unable to hold back any longer. She hated herself for responding because it only earned a smile from the pirate.

 

“I never said who I was protecting you from, pet,” he cooed, taking a step forward and leaning over to look the mermaid in the eye. “It’s been a long night and I think it’s time for both of us to get some shut eye, don’t you think?” Ariel kept her mouth shut, watching the pirate warily as he crawled into a cot shoved in the corner of the room. She noticed that there was no other furniture in the room aside from a large table in the center, which had dozens of books and maps sprawled out amongst its counter. Aside from that however, there was just her tub and a dressing shutter in the corner—not that he needed it since his outfit never seemed to change.

 

Killian fell asleep quickly as Ariel watched the sunset, quietly humming to herself and combing through her hair with her fingers like she used to on her rock back home. Until the horrid pirate behind her came and snatched a kiss from her…and then it hit her.

 

She sat up, eyes wide and breath coming in quick, sharp breaths. If he could steal a kiss from her than perhaps she could just as easily steal one back. She and all of her sisters knew that stealing a kiss from a mermaid was essentially stealing her voice—the song of a siren was deadly but their silence could be even deadlier, she thought. If the pirate could steal a kiss from her and steal her voice, perhaps if she stole a kiss from him it could return it?

 

Ariel popped open her mouth as she breathed, her heart beating so fast she felt as though she had just swam across the entire ocean. She glanced around making sure that Killian was truly asleep and that there was no one else lurking in the room.

 

Then with what felt like even more effort than the last time she pulled herself from the tub, flopping on the wooden floors with a dull thud. She froze again, waiting to see if he would wake up but he simply tossed his hand carelessly over his eyes. Ariel crawled across the floor toward his cot, thanking whatever gods out there that it was low to the ground before hoisting herself up onto it.

 

It was a bit more difficult to crawl over him; since she had no control of her tail out of water it was more of like a dead weight pressed against his legs. She managed to prop herself up above him, positioning her face over his before taking a deep breath, closing her eyes and puckering her lips.

 

“If you really wanted a kiss that bad, all you had to do was ask darling,” came the snide voice. Her eyes snapped open as she felt his hook curling through her damp hair and she saw the grin on his face, though his hand still covered his eyes. He removed his hand then, grabbing the bottom half of her face and forcing her to look directly into his eyes. “You may think you’re clever little mermaid, but I’m much more clever. The sooner you stop trying my patience, the sooner we’ll get along.”

 

“Let go of me,” Ariel hissed.

 

“And just a moment ago you were so ready to be lip locked, what a shame,” he chuckled. Ariel repeated herself though a bit more hysterical and Killian narrowed his eyes. “Only if you ask nicely now.”

 

“Please,” she gasped and he released her face, shoving her off of him only to watch as she helplessly flopped around trying to make her way back to the tub. He stood up watching the pained expression on her face as cut off choking sounds escaped her throat.

 

“Need some help, love?” he asked, sounding more amused than anything but then Ariel was hardly moving so he simply sighed before lifting her up and gently placing her in the tub. She gasped as if inhaling oxygen for the first time—like a human breeching the surface of a water barrier after being under for too long. “So as long as the fish part of you stays wet, the human part of you can be in air,” he murmured more to himself than anything. “Interesting.”

 

“Please,” she said again, looking at him through red-rimmed eyes. “Let me go,” she whispered, her eyes fluttering shut. “I just want to go home.”

 

A moment passed and he realized that she had fallen asleep, or fainted seemed more accurate. He crouched down beside her tub, touching the side of her face. “Sorry, lass. I’m afraid you won’t ever go home again.”


	12. The Senseless Jewel

The pendant didn’t work like a crystal ball—Peter couldn’t see her every move, nor could he hear anything that she said. He could only make her speak; he could only force her to give the information that he wanted—but when Rumpelstiltskin and Regina questioned her about what the pendant could do she could only whimper answers. She knew everything about the pendant she had lived with it tightly wrapped around her throat for months but now when the origins of it were needed to get it off of her she could say nothing.

 

“This is getting us nowhere,” Regina scoffed, sitting back in her chair. She looked over at Rumpelstiltskin who was leaning against his gold cane, his eyes narrowed at Ariel. A small smile was on his face however and Regina eyed him suspiciously. “What? What do you know, Gold?”

 

She had spent hours with these people to know that they all went by different names at times. Aside from Emma, Killian and Regina who seemed to always remain constant—but Snow was often called Mary Maragaret, and Rumpelstiltskin called Gold. She almost wanted to ask them all who the hell they were—but once again all she was able to do was whimper.

 

“I know what this is,” Gold/Rumpelstiltskin said with a self-satisfied smirk, pointing at the pendant with his cane. “And I know how to get it off.” Ariel looked at him with wide, hopeful eyes.

 

“Well? What is it then?” Killian said and Ariel jumped, nearly forgetting he was there. Snow and David had gone into town to stock up for their travels—they were unsure of what they would need exactly, but they needed to be prepared. Emma stayed near the helm of the ship, while Killian, Regina and Gold all remained in the Captain’s Quarters examining Ariel’s pendant. This room held memories for her that she did not want to remember and as Killian stepped from the corner of the room he had been hiding in those memories crept up like bile.

 

Gold looked at Killian with narrowed eyes as he hobbled toward Ariel, poking the pendant with the cane. “That,” he said, looking from Killian to the pendant, “is what I like to call a Senseless Jewel.”

 

“A Senseless Jewel?” Killian and Regina repeated, looking at each other in disdain when they realized they had spoken at the same time. Gold chuckled to himself, brandishing a black leather glove from his coat and sliding it on.

 

“It allows a person to control the senses of another—it could make you blind, deaf, or in this case, mute. Not only can you force someone to lose one of their senses but you can also force someone to use it.” Ariel’s eyes began to water as Gold spoke—he knew, he knew that Peter was the reason she couldn’t speak. Maybe he could see in her eyes that they were all in danger too—or maybe they would be able to get the jewel off of her before the shadow came back to her.

 

“In this case?” Regina said, eyebrows lifted high to the point where they seemed to disappear in her hairline. The woman frightened Ariel, she seemed so cold in so many ways and the animosity between everyone in the room was palpable.

 

“She hasn’t said a single word since she’s arrived, or hadn’t you noticed?” Ariel felt as though a hand was being wrapped around her throat, she wanted so badly to speak but she couldn’t and the more she tried the harder it became to breathe. “Don’t strain yourself, dearie. This is a powerful jewel. You won’t be able to speak if you tried. Not unless the owner has given you permission.”

 

“Ariel, is this true?” Killian said, now much closer to her. “Is Pan controlling your voice?” Ariel couldn’t say the words so she took a deep breath and nodded. He looked at Gold with fierceness in his eyes that she hadn’t seen a long time. “Get that thing off her, no matter what it takes; even if it’s my other hand, you get that thing off of her.”

 

 --

 

Peter lay sprawled among his kingdom of throw pillows, his head dangling over the edge of the stairs, his eyes closed as he listened. He listened for any hint that the boys outside were crying for their mothers and most of all he listened for her.

 

Ariel was gone and already there was a spot missing in his bed and he hated that lack of space. He hated that the smell of the ocean was near him but there were things more important than having his little fishy by his side. There were things of revenge that needed taking care of and his little fishy was the best way to take care of that. He peeked his eyes open seeing that it was still light out, only a few more hours and he would send his shadow to collect the information he needed. But until then…he waited.

 

A few moments passed and that’s when he heard it. A little flutter at first, and then it grew louder and more insistent. The sound of wings beating hard and beneath his eyelids he could see a dull glow. He smiled to himself opening his eyes and seeing the little ball of light before it expanded and a naked woman with clairvoyant wings stood with her arms crossed in the door of his tent.

 

“Hello, Tink.”


	13. Purple Sea Shells

Ariel could see land in the distance through the window in Killian’s quarters. There was a town far off to the right but they were heading straight to a beach, behind it she could see a mass of woods and she knew that soon they’d be venturing through it.

 

She had been fighting for days now, trying every night to either steal a kiss back from the pirate or to wiggle her way back to the door. But every night he would catch her and drag her back to her tub. She could see how annoyed he had gotten with her because the past few days he hadn’t even come to sit with her and to her surprise she felt incredibly lonely.

 

Her arms were resting against the ledge of the tub and she was staring out the window, watching the waves shove to and from the ship as they came closer and closer to land. Part of her wished she had legs so that maybe running would be easier—she had always been curious about humans. Always would surface and watch men dance around like drunken fools on their boats with their sturdy legs and clumsy feet. She had wanted to join them, to move with them and to spin on her own freshly grown clumsy feet.

 

A friend of hers by the name of Sebastian had disapproved so highly of her dreams that he ran straight to her father—and of course the wrath of the mighty King Triton could even extend to his youngest daughter. He took her to the surface and showed her a fisherman’s boat, she watched as the men on that boat reeled fish into their cages and brought them on deck where they suffocated and died. Her father explained to her that they would…eat the fish and Ariel could remember turning away in tears that her beautiful world of dancing and music could be so cruel.

 

Even now when she was in the midst of these cruel creatures she found herself wishing she could be one of them, if only it was to get away from them. At least then she could be free.

 

“What are you thinking about little mermaid?” came a voice that shocked her from her reverie. She looked over and saw the Captain of the ship leaning in the doorway, a coy smile on his face as he watched the bashful mermaid. “You look deep in thought,” he chuckled.

 

“I was…thinking about my father,” she admitted. Why fight him when she clearly could not escape? While Killian was her captor he could be kind to her and who knew what kind of person she would be stuck with afterwards? “He used to tell me stories of how cruel you people could be. I never listened. I wanted to be one of you so badly, I used to come to the surface all the time just to watch your drunken men dance.”

 

Ariel stopped herself realizing she’d said too much and when she looked at Killian she saw a look of surprise on his face, which quickly vanished to that cocky smirk she had grown so used to. He didn’t respond but simply walked over to a trunk shoved against the foot of his bed. She followed his stride and squinted at the trunk seeing nothing unusual about it aside from the golden ornamental lining that seemed to take the form of a swordfish.

 

He pulled a key that had been wrapped around his neck and unlocked it before pulling a strip of what appeared to be a purple scarf from it. He held it in his hands, frowning down at it before taking a deep breath and turning to face Ariel. “A long time ago, a woman named Milah was a part of my crew,” he said. “I took her to a land in Persia where she bought two unique purple shells. She strung them together with Persian silk and used to dance with the crewmen when they were drunk off their liquor and treasure.” He rubbed his thumb along the ridges of one of the shells and looked at Ariel before handing it to her. “Here, put it on.”

 

Ariel was too shocked to refuse him so she took the shells and wrapped it around her chest, but she could not tie it. She didn’t know how to properly reach behind her back or how to tie the shells so that they would stay. Killian chuckled, hanging his head before stepping behind her to awkwardly tie the silk with one hand.

 

Eventually the shells were properly placed and when Ariel sat back she glanced down at her covered chest. She had expected it to feel strange since she had gone her whole life with nothing there but it felt as though the shells were made for her, the silk felt smooth and comfortable against her skin. She brushed her fingers against the shells and smiled for what must’ve been the first time since she’d met the one handed pirate. She looked up at him with that smile only to see how taken aback he was by it—or perhaps by how the shells looked on her.

 

“Thank you,” she said.


	14. The Mute Fairy

Snow and David were lingering just behind Emma as she made her way through the market glancing at the items in the merchant stalls but having no real interest in them. It was almost unreal to them to be back in their land with their daughter—all they had ever wanted, and yet it was not at all how it was supposed to be. They were supposed to rebuild, everything. Not just their home but their relationship too. This family could finally be complete and now the one thing to complete that family had been ripped away from them.

 

Snow could see the tension in the line of Emma’s shoulders, as she drifted in and out of merchant booths, clearly not sure what they would need on this journey. They had been to Fairytale Land once before but it was once again, by no normal circumstances and it wasn’t as though they had the opportunity to prepare for the excursion.

 

“How do you pay for these things?” Emma said suddenly, whirling around to face her parents. David chuckled realizing that indeed this was a problem they would face but he stepped forward, placing his hand carefully on his daughter’s back.

 

“Hook gave us this,” he said, producing a small pouch, which jingled with silver and gold. “This should pay for everything we need.”

 

Emma frowned, nodding and turning away but then as if remembering something she faced her parents again. “Am I the only one who finds Hook’s helpfulness disconcerting?” Snow and David exchanged a look before Snow smiled slightly.

 

“I think he loves that girl,” she stated simply. “And if Hook has any type of heart he’ll do whatever he can to help her.”

 

Emma looked away from her mother before continuing on down the market before stopping at one of the blacksmiths. Emma stepped forward curious reaching out to touch one of the long silver blades hanging on a rack. “Love,” she murmured, looking at her parents and their now interlocked fingers. “Does that mean he’s actually going to help us find Henry?”

 

Again, Snow and David exchanged a look. “I think…that if Hook believes helping us find Henry will mean us helping him save Ariel than yes, he will definitely help us.”

 

 ---

 

Gold was quiet for a long time while he observed the Senseless Jewel around Ariel’s throat. She tried to remain still as he looked afraid that the slightest motion would break his concentration. Her eyes remained locked on Killian who was pacing the cabin restlessly. Regina simply seemed aggravated by everything around her as she leaned back, her arms crossed and her eyes flicking between Killian and Ariel.

 

With a sigh Gold leaned back in his seat nodding to himself. “What? What is it?” Killian said as if the sigh was a gunshot in the room. Gold glanced at the fidgeting pirate with an amused smirk.

 

“To remove this Jewel we need the blood of the one who placed it on her,” he said simply. Killian almost seemed giddy at this as Ariel’s heart leapt in her throat.

 

“Pan’s blood? I’m more than willing to take it from him,” he said, squatting down to take Ariel’s hand in hers.

 

“No. Not _Pan’s_ blood. This is a special breed,” he said looking closely at the Jewel again. “This is no ordinary pendant. The one who put this Jewel on her…was a fairy.”

 

 ---

 

Peter sat at the round table in his tent, the naked woman pulling on a green smock that Peter always had laying around waiting for her. She sighed, sitting down across the table from him and narrowing her eyes at him as he stared at her with his chin in his hands. Her eyes were large and blue, larger than any person or thing he had ever seen before and as she sat across from him she touched a single tendril of her hair before it curled around her head into a tight bun.

 

“You know I appreciate everything you do for me,” Peter said, reaching forward and taking the fairy’s hand. She simply stared at him her throat tightening as she took a deep breath. “Oh Tink,” he sighed. “Without you none of this would be possible.”

 

Peter sighed then, sitting back in his chair and crossing his arms. “Oh very well then, you may speak.” Tink took a deep breath, clutching her throat as if he had been deep underwater with no oxygen left in her lungs. “You know I wouldn’t have to silence your tongue if I could just trust you to do as I ask.”

 

“Yes,” Tink said, her voice raspy. “And if I were anyone else you would allow me _some_ type of speech.”

 

Peter shrugged. “You should feel honored that I fear the abilities of your power. It’s either you are mute only when you are away from me, or I cut out your tongue. Now, show me my Ariel.”


	15. The Siren's Scream

The Jolly Roger finally threw its anchors overboard and pressed into the shore. Ariel could hear from her tub the crew shouting and scurrying about as they hoisted ropes and boards over to safely get down to land. She knew that they would be preparing her tank for her once again and she felt her heart begin to constrict as she remembered the claustrophobic glass box. When the doors to Killian’s quarters burst open and two dirty rather hairy toothless identical looking men came into the room with their grubby hands wiggling in her direction Ariel pressed herself as far away from them as she could.

 

As they closed in on her she held her breath, closing her eyes and thinking of any possibility of how to escape the confines of that tank and these men. Without thinking she let her mouth fall open and she screamed. After that she wasn’t sure exactly what happened—the scream was short lived but when she opened her eyes the twins were dead, blood dribbling from their ears and pooling around their heads. She peered cautiously over the edge of the tub almost expecting to find their attacker hiding there but there was no one. Just her and the two dead men.

 

Ariel clapped her hand over her mouth realizing that her wish had potentially come true but at the same time she had murdered two men in the process of trying to earn her freedom. Her eyes were wide and watery as she looked at their still forms—true, they were probably by no means innocent but Ariel was not a killer.

 

She sunk back into her tub, her hands dropping limply from her mouth as she looked up to the open door. What if she had killed every man on the ship as well? What if her scream had caused them to bleed from their ears and drop dead? What if she had killed Killian as well?

 

As if answering her thoughts Killian stumbled into the room, clutching his head as though someone had knocked him unconscious and halted upon spotting the scene in front of him. First his eyes landed on Ariel, looking at him as if he were an angel come to save her—and then on the two dead men in front of her. He pointed at them, drawing his hand away from his ears and she spotted the blood there.

 

“Did you do that?” he asked, sounding drunk. He glanced behind him seeing something she clearly could not and then back to her. “Did you do this?” he asked showing her his bloodied hands. Ariel did not answer but simply watched him with wide eyes and then he collapsed.

 

She sat up; more alert than she had felt for days and without hesitating she threw herself over the tub and crawled over to Killian’s unconscious body. “Killian,” she whispered, propping herself so that his head lay on her tail. “Killian, wake up,” she hissed but he simply mumbled nonsensically.

 

Several things ran through her mind in that moment. As she peered out the door to his quarters she realized that every man on the ship was in the same state as Killian—or they were dead. There was no one to stop her from running, she could simply free herself from the boat and dive into the ocean and never be seen again. Or she could steal her kiss back from Killian; there he was in her arms, completely unconscious and unaware. She could steal it back from him and be a true mermaid once more.

 

Instead she did something very silly. She grabbed onto Killian’s hook and began dragging him toward the edge of the deck while the men that were still alive stirred in their slumber and potentially began to awake. The edge of the Jolly Roger seemed to be much further than she thought and by the time she reached it her tail had already begun to dry and she was exhausted.

 

The men had begun waking then as well, just as she grasped the railing she looked up to see the man with the red hat, Smee struggle to his feet and spot them. He squinted at her realizing first that she was about to escape and then that she had his Captain with her. “Cap’n!” he cried just as Ariel fell over the railing with Killian in grasp.

 

The water was like a heaven she didn’t know existed. She let out a cry of joy as it engulfed her body and she felt Killian startle awake. In the water completely submersed like this she was much stronger than him so when he jerked away she was able to readjust her grip much stronger. She turned to face him, her tail simply swiveling in the water. She smiled pleasantly at him before placing a finger to her lips.

 

She could tell he was holding his breath in fear of drowning—he must’ve not believed that her kiss would truly save him from drowning. She turned and continued swimming deeper and deeper until Killian was forced to take a breath and realized the myth was true before he enjoyed swimming with a mermaid.

 

It was some time before they surfaced again and Killian’s anger overwhelmed his amazement. “You wench,” he hissed and Ariel looked at him startled. “Take me back to the Jolly Roger now!” he growled.

 

“You’re lucky I haven’t stolen my kiss back from you and killed you, Killian. Enjoy the ocean until I return you to shore, then you can have a fit.”

 

“What is your game, mermaid?” he asked, his eyes narrowing at the red head. She turned to look at him, tucking her chin against her shoulder.

 

“I just want to make sure that when you _do_ find your boat again you’ll never be able to find me again.”


	16. Once Upon a Time

Peter watched as Tinkerbell glared at him, a sour look on her face when she finally closed her eyes and conjured a little cloud in the air. He reached forward and stopped her, her eyes popping open glowing a slightly brighter blue than usual. “Are you jealous, Tink?” he asked, a mocking tone to his voice.

 

Tinkerbell swallowed thickly before rolling back her shoulders and lifting her chin. “Once upon a time I was enough for you,” she said quietly and Peter laughed. Tinkerbell felt as if he had slapped her and she looked away only to have his fingers grasp her chin and force her to look at him.

 

He was so young. With freckles dancing across his cheeks and lips he hadn’t quite grown into yet but he was still so beautiful that Tinkerbell felt tears well behind her eyes as she looked at the boy with no shadow. He had forced her to remove it, forced her to take away that part of him so that he could do everything in his power to never grow old. ‘A shadow makes you human,’ he had said. ‘I no longer wish to be human. Take it away, Tink.’

 

She wished she had been able to refuse him because now here she was—only able to speak when he wished her to. That light that used to dance behind his eyes when he would look at his fairy was gone and now there was just a blank stare. The only light that ever burned there now was for his mermaid.

 

“Why settle for you when I could have a mermaid?”

 

“She’s not even a proper mermaid,” Tinkerbell whispered exasperated, her eyes searching his but finding nothing there. He smiled before chucking her on the chin and leaning back.

 

“No, but you can fix that.”

 

“Peter, no…. I can’t,” she said. It was impossible for her to use that type of magic again…there was no possible way. “I don’t have that power anymore.”

 

“What do you think the boy is for?” Peter said, glancing down at his nails before chewing on his pinky. His eyes met Tinkerbell’s and when she said nothing he simply rolled his eyes. “Let’s just say the boy can revive your missing ‘spark’ and he can help make sure Ariel never leaves.”

 

Peter smiled at his genius before Tink reopened her cloud in silence. Peter leaned forward eagerly peering through the window only to find Ariel sitting on a chair, Hook leaning beside her with his hand on her thigh. Peter felt a sudden flood of rage at the sight of the Pirate touching his Ariel—and a sudden rage at Ariel for allowing it to happen.

 

She suddenly cried out in pain, grasping the pendant at her throat and Peter sat back in surprise. It was almost as if the Jewel had sensed his anger. A little smile of satisfaction curled upon his lips as he watched Hook hold onto Ariel’s face, the tears that had welled in her eyes from the pain dripping down onto his thumbs.

 

“Interesting,” he murmured looking at his fairy that not only looked afraid but annoyed at the mermaid in front of her eyes. “Jealousy is not very becoming on you, my little fairy.”

 

“They know they need my blood to remove the Jewel,” she gasped suddenly the small cloud disappearing as she grasped the table and looked desperately at Peter. His brow furrowed as he leaned forward and met her eyes.

 

“Don’t let them catch you then,” he hissed before shoving himself away from the table and exiting the tent.


	17. One Last Moment in the Water

The waves seemed as though they were crashing around Killian. Perhaps it was the fear of drowning that had his heart clenched in knots, or maybe the rage that the mermaid had bested him and his men. She was floating just beside him, her head tilted back and her red hair splayed around her face in the water. She looked like a goddess and he wanted to strangle her. Yet he continued to drift next to her simply watching her and the way her smile fully spread across her face.

“You’ve no idea what you’ve taken from me,” Killian said suddenly, still keeping his gaze on her face. Ariel opened her eyes and lifted her head, looking directly into the pirate’s own steely stare.

“And you’ve no idea what you’ve taken from me. So we’re even.” The mermaid glared at the pirate in the most unlikely of circumstances, floating in the middle of the ocean hatred plain on each face.

“Yet you could just steal back what was taken from you. Why don’t you?”

“Would you like me to leave you here to drown? Is that what you want? I am not like you Killian—why you did this to me simply for your own gain, I am choosing to bring you back to safety instead of imprison you to a life you don’t belong to. You’ve taken…everything from me—do you realize that I can never return home?” Killian was taken back by this looking at the distraught mermaid. He had never intended for her to return home anyway but having her say it now that she was in the ocean was…distressing.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean that since you’ve stolen my song, everything else that made me a daughter of Triton is gone as well. Any way of protecting myself is gone—I feel foolish now for returning here. Maybe the real reason I brought you with me is because I know that I can’t return home—I just wanted one last moment in the water.”


	18. Rumpelstiltskin and the Pirate

Neil Cassidy opened his eyes to a wooden sky—he sat straight up, first noticing the pain in his gut to then realizing he was in a hut of some sort. He glanced down to see he was in a cot, blankets pooling at his waist and his torso bare. A bandage that was just starting to yellow around the middle was taped neatly to his side—and the memory of the Tamara’s bullet tearing through his stomach surfaced and he was hit by a fresh wave of guilt and nausea.

He hadn’t realized he’d let out a cry of pain until the woman entered the hut. She was dressed completely in armor, an empty sword sheath on her back but a small dagger between her fingers. She looked suspiciously at Neil but there was still a kindness in her eyes despite her defensive stance.

“Where am I?” was the first thing Neil spit out—his stomach felt uneasy. The woman before him—her appearance specifically was not helping his tension.

The woman straightened up. “You’re in Neverland.”

Visions of swirling green and black suddenly came to Neil and the portal taking him further and further away from Emma caused another gasp of pain to escape his throat. The woman immediately dropped the dagger and ran over to him. “Sir, please, you’ve opened your wound again.” But black spots were already dancing across Neil’s vision until he could see nothing.

\---

Ariel stood at the mast of the Jolly Roger, holding onto one of the sails as she glanced out into the water. She hadn’t even stepped foot into the ocean since her fin was taken away and that aching in her chest would never leave her. Ariel knew though that it was fruitless to wish for the chance to swim again—she knew the cost to stepping in the water and she refused to pay it.

The floorboards behind her creaked and she turned to see Mr. Gold approaching her, the head of his cane glimmering in the sun. Ariel stood still watching the man with suspicious eyes.

“Is there something I can help you with, Mr. Gold?” Ariel said.

“No, dearie. You just remind me of someone back…home,” he said with a slight smile. “It’s strange how much in common I have with your pirate.”

Ariel let out a dry laugh before turning to glance back at the water. “He’s not my pirate, Mr. Gold. Nor am I his mermaid…not anymore.”

“We will help you, Ariel. I’ll get that pendant off of you and then you and Hook can run off together and do whatever it is you like.”

Ariel’s throat felt tight then, hot tears bubbling as she looked at Gold with a watery gaze. There were so many things she could’ve said—how she would never truly be able to be with Hook, or how she didn’t want to be. Instead she simply laughed. “At what cost? You act as though I don’t know who you are, Rumpelstiltskin. I know that your magic always comes with a price.”

Mr. Gold smiled then and took a few more steps closer to Ariel. “You’ll just have to make sure you play an active role in finding my grandson then.”


	19. The Guardian Pirate

If there was one thing Killian Jones was sure of it was that a pirate never admitted defeat. Even when they were on their knees with blood pouring from their mouth, or rather when their hand had become nothing more than a stump—they never admitted defeat. The little mermaid he had taken so easily from the ocean was a fighter and by his definition could easily be grouped amongst the pirates—just like his Milah was. She refused to admit defeat when it came to her happiness and that’s why it was so easy for her to turn her back on her family and run away with him not that she didn’t wish every day to return home and take her Baelfire away—but Milah was a pirate.

So when the little mermaid lay back in the ocean, allowing her tail to sway with the waves he saw the defeat in her and he didn’t like it. Something about the way she had seemed to utterly just give up the moment she achieved her goal told him that he really had taken her last hope and in essence he had taken what made her a pirate—he had taken her spirit; her soul.

Killian allowed Ariel to grasp his wrist and swim him to shore, watching as her beryl colored hair splayed out across her no longer bare back. He crawled up on land, as she made sure her tail never strayed completely from the water and stood, glaring down at the mermaid. “How do I know you haven’t led me astray? How do I know you don’t plan on abandoning me on some godforsaken island?”

Ariel rolled her eyes, propping her chin on her hand as she gazed up at the pirate. “I thought you knew Neverland like the back of your hand—isn’t that what pirates always say?” When he didn’t answer she lazily pointed to her left and waited until his eyes followed her direction. In the not so far distance the Jolly Roger could be seen, anchored rather sloppily, but it was still there and Killian’s gaze softened slightly when he glanced back at the mermaid.

“Why have you given up so easily?” Killian asked crouching down in front of her so that he was just a head taller than her now.

“I’ve already told you—the ocean is no longer my home. I don’t belong on land and I cannot return to the sea. You’ve made me an outcast, Killian…the only option left for me is to die here on this very beach or to let you barter me for your precious gold.”

Killian was quiet for a moment watching the tired look on Ariel’s face and tracing his hook in the sand between them. “Then why not choose death?”

The mermaid smiled slightly, looking at the line Killian had drawn between them in the sand and then back at the pirate’s furrowed face. “I’m not quite ready to die.”

Before Killian could speak again, a shout could be heard in the distance and as the two looked toward the Jolly Roger, a bright red blob could be seen coming their way. Killian knew immediately that it was Smee sprinting to rescue his ‘Cap’n’ and he sighed, standing and glancing down at the mermaid. “They’re going to want to hurt you for what you did to them, you know that, don’t you?”

“Are you going to let them?” she murmured, meeting the pirate’s eyes with a gaze that told him she already knew the answer. As he looked up one of the larger pirates was sprinting toward her and she closed her eyes, waiting for some sort of impact but it never came.

A gurgled groan spread through the air and Ariel opened her eyes to see that Hook had dug his hook deep into the pirate’s belly, his gaze fierce as he met the dying pirate’s eyes. He tore his hook from him and allowed the pirate to fall to the ground and with one swift kick he shoved his body into the water.

“I believe I’ve warned you about the consequences of touching my mermaid?” he said, wiping his hook off with a cloth that he had brandished from inside his coat. The pirates all let out jumbled murmurs of agreement before Killian nodded. “Good, now someone fetch her tank.”


	20. Once a Pirate, Always a Pirate

Mulan emerged from the wooden hut with a tired sigh as she balled together old and new bloodied bandages. Aurora sat on a tree stump not too far away, the same concerned expression that Mulan was so very used to lacing her expression. “He’s alright,” she said, knowing the question before the words were even spoken. “Delirious, though. He doesn’t seem to know where he is,” she added and then catching sight of Aurora’s gaze on the bloodied bandages. “He reopened his wounds in his haste to get up. He fainted again and I’ve patched him right up.”

“Good,” Aurora sighed, sitting back and looking over at the only other man in the camp. Philip had dropped his usual armor and instead wore just his dress sleeves and was hoisting an axe over his head as he chopped wood for that night’s fire. “Where did he come from? His clothes…they remind me so much of Emma and Snow’s,” she said, her gaze never wavering from Philip.

“They do.”

Mulan sat beside the girl on the tree stump; her armor was haphazardly pulled on and her hair was damp as she had previously been bathing before she went to check on the mysterious man who had appeared on their beach. Some time ago she would’ve just left him—he was not her concern and she couldn’t be burdened with his responsibility, at least not unless there was something in it for her. Now after spending so much time with Philip, Aurora, Snow and even Emma she realized that helping a stranger could indeed come in handy down the line.

“You don’t think he comes from their world do you?” Aurora finally said, looking at Mulan.

“Nothing’s for certain anymore, Aurora. We brought Philip back from the dead…we watched Emma and Snow disappear through a hole in the ground—hell, we thought Hook was as malicious as Cora and yet he saved your heart after being the one to rip it from your chest. Nothing makes any sense and nothing is at it seems.” Mulan sighed, running her fingers through her hair before expertly twisting it back in a braid so as not to distract her. “I’m going to gather more wood for Philip,” she muttered before grabbing her sword off one of the chopping blocks and disappearing into the woods.

\----

Night had fallen and Ariel realized she would have to sleep eventually—but where? Peter had told her to stay with Hook and she knew there were only so many rooms beneath deck and those were surely filled with the amount of people on board. She glanced back at the door leading to Killian’s cabin and her heart lurched at the thought of returning there to sleep with him as she had before.

Instead she glanced up at the lookout tower and sighed, wondering if her legs were strong enough to make the climb. It had been almost a year now since she’d had them and there were plenty of things she had learned how to do. She no longer wobbled foolishly around when she tried to run—but she knew swimming would be a feeble task. There was no way she’d be able to move as she once did with her tail—and anything less than that would feel like an insult to who she once was. But climbing…climbing she could do.

Just as she grabbed the first ring of the ladder though a voice called out to her, halting her in her tracks. “Where are you off to, little mermaid?” She glanced over, finding Killian leaning in the doorway to his room in his shirtsleeves and a sly smile on his face.

“I thought I’d sleep under the stars tonight,” she said simply and Killian glanced up at the sky. Ariel followed his gaze, feeling her stomach drop as she realized that there were no stars out at all—just the moon which seemed enormous by the water.

“You’re welcome to join me,” Killian said, that all too familiar coyness leaking through his voice. Ariel looked sharply at him, her brow furrowing before she turned away.

“You know I can’t,” she whispered, feeling the pendant at her throat burn.

The door creaked and she knew he was approaching but that didn’t stop her from holding her breath when she felt his hand on her shoulder. “You know you always have a place by my side, Ariel,” he murmured.

“Then why did you leave me here? With him?” She finally said, turning to look at him but she already knew the answer. It was the plan all along—it had always been the plan and there was nothing she could’ve said or done to change Captain Hook’s mind.

Once a pirate, always a pirate. No matter what his heart might say.


	21. If I Only Had Legs

Once Ariel was hoisted back into her tank and brought to Killian’s chambers they were off to sea almost immediately. Killian always stayed close by and if he couldn’t do it he had Smee standing guard outside the door. Ariel had remained silent throughout the entire ordeal—any fight she had left seemed to disappear the moment she brought Killian back to shore.

She counted three sunrises and sunsets before they were anchored again. She slept on and off throughout the days, Killian seemed to always sit just inside of her gaze, sharpening his hook and toying with a dagger while staring angrily out the doorway on occasion. She knew there were pirates on the ship who wanted her dead—after her scream had nearly killed them all and had taken away those two despicable twins, she couldn’t blame them really.

When the Jolly Roger was anchored and the pirates all finished gathering the equipment they would need, Killian appeared in the room, his arms crossed as he looked at the mermaid resting her head on her wrist. She had her arms propped against the edge of the tank and looked tiredly up at the pirate.

For the first time she saw something in his eyes that wasn’t all greed and excitement—perhaps it was regret, or perhaps it was just the finality that soon she would be sold off to someone. Soon she would be someone’s property.

She looked at Killian and almost wanted to laugh at the thought that immediately crossed her mind. “If only I had legs,” she said, a dull smile on her lips as she jokingly let the words slip out.

Something happened then—something that Ariel wasn’t really sure how to explain but it was almost as if time stopped. Killian looked as though he were frozen but there was a black fog surrounding him, the rest of the world seemed to dim as well and all that was light was the glimmering water in her tank.

She glanced around, her eyes wide and her fingers curling into fists as she tried to find what on earth could leave Killian paralyzed like he was but it didn’t look as though he even realized what was happening.

“A mermaid wishing for legs—that’s certainly a new one,” came an amused voice from somewhere just above her left ear. Ariel glanced up catching a small ball of light that seemed to dart around as though something were flicking it back and forth. Then she seemed to blink and a blonde, naked woman was standing in front of her. Her skin seemed to glow and there were two translucent wings emerging from her back—her eyes were big and blue and they were focused on Ariel’s tail.

“Who are you?”

The blonde woman laughed and it sounded like wind chimes—and then she bowed. “I’m your fairy godmother.”

“What do you want from me?” she said, suddenly wondering if this wasn’t another horrible person who wanted to steal her away—what if this was the person Killian had meant to sell her to?

“I want to give you something,” she said before stepping forward and placing her index finger on the surface of the water. “But before I do, you need to be sure that its what you want—because all magic comes at a price, mermaid.”

“Do you mean…legs? You could give me legs?”

“I could…but like I said, it would come at a price.”

“What price could it possibly come at?” Ariel whispered, exasperated. “Anything that made me a mermaid is gone—all I am anymore is a fish out of water. I’m useless…I don’t have my song…what else could I offer?”

“I can give you legs, mermaid. But some day in the future you will need to do something for me—a favor, if you will. I can take your legs just as easily as I can give you them, do you understand?”

Ariel remained quiet for some time, gazing at the naked fairy and her wings—the glimmer that surrounded her could only be magic. She looked at her tail and realized that there truly was no other option for her. She could remain a mermaid and allow Hook to sell her to some person and become someone’s property for the rest of her life and who knew what he or she would do to her? Or she could have legs and be free…a human.

“I’ll do anything you ask,” she whispered. The fairy smiled then before allowing her index finger to submerge into the water and glide along Ariel’s tail.

“The change will be gradual,” she explained, reaching her fins. “Your legs need to grow first and then your tail will thin until it completely dissolves away.”

“Will it hurt?” Ariel asked as she watched the fairy withdraw her finger. Her touch seemed to leave a glow behind.

“Maybe,” was all the fairy said before she bowed once more. “I’ll see you soon, mermaid.”

The room lit up again and Killian was placing his hand on her shoulder. “Time to go, little mermaid.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello all! I'm so sorry for how long it's been. The last year and a half has been very rough on me. But I'm in recovery and I'm doing well and I hope to be writing more so please stick with me!


	22. The Dejected Fairy

Tinkerbell swayed slightly above Peter’s camp, watching his Lost Boys drift to and fro aimlessly. A very small part of her heart ached for them but if it made Peter happy than it made her happy. Dealing with that infuriating red head was worse than watching Peter manipulate the boys on this island to be as malicious as Peter had become.

She could remember a time when he was simply a carefree boy who wasn’t ready to grow up. And then things changed.

He had shoved her away so readily so that she could run in the hopes that she could escape Hook and his gang so eager to take her blood. They wouldn’t need all of it, just a pinprick but if they got just that it would be as good as killing her. Peter would destroy her and then what would it all have been for?

She closed her eyes before turning away from the camp and flying home.

\--

By morning Emma, Mary Margaret, David, Regina, Mr. Gold and Killian were all dressed and ready for action. They had packs filled with rations and any necessities they may need and Ariel was sure each had their own set of weapons smuggled in their outfits.

Killian had handed her a dagger earlier, urging her to tuck it between her waistbands but Ariel refused with a slight shake of her head. She didn’t know the extent of Peter’s control over her and she couldn’t bare the thought of him using that dagger against her.

By early afternoon they were leaving the ship—Ariel watched in fascination as with a lazy wave of her hand Regina cast a spell that seemed to encompass the entire ship so that if anyone aside from them tried to enter, they would be transported across the water.

They walked through town, past the merchant with the cheaply made crystal balls, toward the edge of the forest. Her heart pounded at the thought of willingly going back to where Peter was the strongest but as long as that pendant was around her throat she would always end up with him. They wandered for hours, following a broken path as Regina and Mr. Gold led the way—Mary Margaret and David walked close together, at the ready but constantly touching while Emma walked just a little behind them. Ariel and Killian trailed behind the rest and Ariel could feel his eyes constantly drift to her.

“What exactly are we looking for?” Emma said, realizing they had left with no real plan of action. “Are we just going to wander the woods and hope that Tamara and Greg turn up?”

Gold stopped then and turned with a slight smile on his lips. “No, dearie,” he said with a chuckle. “We’re going to march into Peter Pan’s tent—and we’re going to find that fairy of his and I’m going to cut her throat.”


	23. Out of Air

They walked for days. Ariel stared at the sky, enjoying the blue endless abyss that it was and the puffs of white smoke that floated among it. The pirates talked loudly, humming songs or just insulting one another—most talked about what they would do with their share of the gold Ariel would get them but she chose to ignore them.

If what that fairy did to her worked they would get no gold from her and she was afraid they would see that in her face. Every time the sun set and rose she would poke and prod her tail, expecting parts of it to flake off as she did so but nothing happened. It was still her tail and there was nothing different about it.

She began to lose hope after the fourth day, thinking that it had all been a ruse or some sort of hallucination in her terror at being sold to someone. She would cry when she thought no one was awake to hear her.

It was until the sixth day’s sun rose that she sighed and dipped her head under the water. She lay there for a moment, her eyes closed as she wished she could actually swim and move her tail. She went to inhale and found that when she did, water rushed up her nose and left her spluttering, rising to the surface for oxygen.

She gasped, coughing and choking her hands clasped around her throat—and realized that one of the pirates was gazing at her suspiciously. How was this possible? How could she not breathe in her own oxygen?

After a moment of regaining her composure she tentatively dipped her head back in the water, so that her nose was completely submersed. She inhaled slowly and found the same result—she rose to the surface, gasping for air. “What’s happening to me?” she whispered.

“Oiy, Captain,” came a voice from just behind her right shoulder. She turned around to see a rather large pirate with a black grizzly beard down to his chest—and a hairy stomach poking out of a ripped striped sweater. “I think tha’ mermaid is havin’ trouble breathin’,” he said, seeming oddly concerned.

But Killian was dozing against a tree and groggily waved the pirate’s words away. The hairy pirate looked around, finding that the rest of the pirates were also asleep or couldn’t care less about the mermaid’s breathing issues. So the man sighed and crouched down beside her before lifting the lid of her tank slightly.

“Listen ‘ere, Missy, I wan’ ta’ help you, but you haff ta’ promise not ta’ run.” The pirates said this and then looked at Ariel’s tail before snorting to himself slightly but waited for her nod nonetheless.

He took the lid completely off then and grabbed Ariel under her elbows before lifting her into his arms. “There’s a stream from tha’ ocean not too far—“ but it was too late.

The moment her tail hit the air, she starting screaming in agony. It felt as though something was shredding through the muscles in her tail—or that a shark had clamped its dagger like teeth into her scales. She started writhing in his arms and the pirate had no choice but to set her on the ground.

Her screams roused the other pirates and soon they were all crowded around, watching the fish out of water. Some had grins of pure malice on their faces—these were the ones that sought against the mermaid for murdering the twins. Others were shouting out things to do but no one followed through.

It was just as Ariel’s scream died down to dry sobs that Killian pushed his way through the crowd. His brow was furrowed as he kneeled beside her, tears streaking her cheeks and her hair a mass of wet tangles around her face.

“What’s happening, little mermaid?” he asked softly so that only she could hear.

“I don’t know,” she whispered and then her breath caught and she was screaming again. Without thinking she reached out and caught Killian’s hand, squeezing until even he was wincing in pain.

“Look at her tail!” one of the pirate’s shouted in a guttural drunken voice.

Everyone did as they were told and looked at the mermaid’s tail and found that it had become completely translucent. The green had completely faded away and instead of her shimmering scales a slimy film wrapped around two, pale legs.

Her screams were gone and she was simply breathing heavily—her lids low as she let go of Killian’s hand and lay back on the ground. Very hesitantly, he prodded what used to be tail with the tip of his hook and almost immediately it burst and fell over her legs like water.

Everyone stared in silence for a long time—Killian’s eyes never left Ariel’s naked legs and Ariel was much too exhausted to be glad that she had legs. She was also much too tired to realize that she was surrounded by a bunch of soon to be furious pirates.

Finally, Killian met her eyes and she wasn’t sure what she was expecting to see there but it wasn’t what she got.

Fear.


	24. Welcome to Neverland, Henry

Regina looked at the group she was with and realized how easy it would be to end them all, right here and right now. She felt little to no love for anyone there and as she slowed her pace she realized that none of this ever would’ve happened if it weren’t for them.

Her unhappiness, everything that had ever gone wrong in her life had been for these people here—among other things.

Snow White was the little deviant who destroyed her happiness. She did the one thing Regina had begged her not to do and now she had lost her Daniel. Snow had been the center of Regina’s world for the longest time—destroying her and finding her own happily ever after…and in part she resented David for managing to give that to Snow. It was because of them that Emma was born and it was because of Emma that Henry was gone.

If Emma had never shown up to Storybrooke the curse never would’ve been broken and Henry never would’ve been taken from her. If Rumpelstiltskin had never abandoned his damn son, Neil never would’ve met Tamara and Tamara never would’ve brought Greg to Storybrooke and then Henry never would’ve been taken from her.

The more she thought the more she tried to reason that these things were everyone’s fault—but in truth if Rumpelstitskin never abandoned his son and Snow and David didn’t have Emma, Henry never would’ve been born. Regina never would’ve known love again.

Then of course there was Hook. If the bastard never had come to Storybrooke her mother wouldn’t be dead now—but then…she never would’ve gotten to Neverland to find Henry. She closed her eyes in defeat realizing that these people were all necessary to being here—to having Henry and no matter how much she wanted death and destruction to consume their lives, they were vital. For now.

[center][img]http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af32/understandreams/ist2_4131575-decorative-dividers-4-4.jpg[/img][/center]

Henry sat up, wide-eyed and gasping as he looked around the blackness of Neverland’s forest. The moon above was the only source of light and the diminished embers of the fire Greg and Tamara had built up. Greg was fast asleep with a log under his head and Tamara was pacing restlessly on the shoreline of the ocean they had landed in. Her clothes were still wet and her hair still stringy; Henry could see her shoulders shaking as she crossed her arms around her torso.

She didn’t know he was awake yet and Greg’s snores were a sure sign that he wouldn’t be waking up at the slightest movement…hopefully. He shifted ever so slightly, making it as though he were turning over in his sleep so that he had a clear view of the side furthest from their little campsite. If he could just get on his feet without Tamara stopping him or Greg catching him he could escape.

He let out the slightest of sighs before in one clumsy movement he pushed himself to his feet and ran. He ran clear into the forest, ducking past tree branches and dodging trunks of trees. He heard a shout behind him and knew they would be following soon so he kept running. All he had to do was get away long enough for his mom to find him—both of them.

He ran until he couldn’t breathe anymore and realized when he finally stopped to catch him breath that he couldn’t hear anything behind him. In fact, there was silence all around. Slowly he straightened up and realized that nothing looked familiar—which made sense since he’d never been there before but suddenly he was very scared.

Henry had read all about Neverland and the Enchanted Forest but he’d never actually been there before…let alone did he know how to survive in it. It was in that moment that he realized how very young he was and how it might not have been the smartest decision to run from a warm fire—but he had no idea what they were doing with him so surely he was better off on his own?

“What do we have here?” came a voice, and Henry realized he was not so much alone after all.

He whipped around and found that to his back were almost a dozen tents—there were little black glowing balls floating above him and almost twenty people staring at him. All of them wore tattered clothes and carried bats and machetes and wooden planks. Something caught in Henry’s throat as he realized who these people were—or rather these [i]boy’s[/i] were. They were the Lost Boys.

The one speaking had a head full of fiery red hair and a dozen freckles scattered along his cheeks and nose. Henry swallowed thickly; he didn’t need to see the mythical green tunic to know who this was.

He had run straight into the hands of Peter Pan.


	25. Wibbly, Wobbly

The first thing Killian did was tear his coat off from his body and cover Ariel’s naked form with it, shielding her from view from the pirate’s who were too confused to realize a naked woman was before them. Then he, like the rest of the pirates, began to grow very angry. How was this possible?

One moment they had a perfectly good mermaid and now there was a girl…a girl with very shiny legs. “What is this magic?” Killian whispered darkly, as he looked up at Ariel.

Her heart was pounding in her throat as she realized the consequences of the wish she had made—these pirates had no use for her now, they may as well kill her. She swallowed thickly realizing this was no time for her to lose her voice but no words would come out.

“What did you do?” he whispered again, this time that fear she had previously seen in his eyes escaping into his voice. She didn’t know whether that fear was for her or for the fact that he had now lost his chance at treasure.

“Nothing,” was all she could say. How could she tell him or any of the other murderous scoundrels before her that she had wished to have legs? How could she say the words and survive them? “I-I swear, I didn’t do anything.”

“Let’s kill her,” shouted one pirate.

“No! There are much better uses for her now…” came the response of another. Ariel’s heart beat much faster and then Killian finally spoke up as the ranting grew louder and more excited.

“My words still stand!” he growled, his voice booming over the rests. “If a single one of you lay a hand on the mermaid, I will make you sorry.”

“She’s not a mermaid anymore cap’n,” one of the men closer to Killian said. Killian looked at him with a deadly glint to his eyes and in one fluid motion embedded the tip of his hook in the man’s throat. He let out a single cough that erupted a little fountain of blood from his mouth and then dropped to his knees.

“If any of you touch this girl, I will kill you.”

The men went quiet then and eventually everyone was drifting back to sleep or gathered around the fire laughing and belching with the alcohol they were chugging. It was only Killian left still concerned about the girl.

“Now what are you going to do with me?” Ariel whispered, feeling insignificant and foolish. Killian looked at her sharply before sighing in defeat.

“We’ll figure that out later, lass. For now, let’s see if these new legs of yours are sturdy enough to walk on.”

He grabbed one of her hands and allowed her to clasp on to his bloodied hook and helped her to her feet. However, her knees were wobbling and the second she managed to get completely to her feet she fell into Killian with a cry. They spent the next few minutes trying to get her in just a standing position but they could hardly manage that.

The pirates who weren’t passed out on the ground were watching and laughing every time Ariel stumbled into their captain’s chest. His coat was long enough on her that when buttoned it was like a dress, so there was no worries of her exposing herself to anyone as she fell time after time—but Killian’s patience was wearing thing as he had realized just how much he was losing and so he decided it was time for them to sleep. They could practice this nonsense later. So Ariel settled down in a soft patch of grass with Killian’s coat billowing out around her newly formed legs—and she allowed herself a slight smile at the image of running far away from these pirates.


	26. Take Them to Camp

Ariel knew what was coming. She knew where they were heading and that there was no way out. She wished she could tell someone but her throat felt constricted as if an anchor was weighing down her tongue. If she could’ve turned and run the opposite way she would’ve but it like strings of lead were attached to her ankles and were pulling her toward imminent peril.

She looked longingly at Killian, wishing she could grab his hand and that he could read in her eyes that this was not the way they should be going but he was too focused on looking ahead. That had always been his way—dreaming of what was to come. She wondered what he was fantasizing about in that moment.

At one time she had thought he’d been dreaming of her but she knew that dream was far in the back of his head, something he had buried and would take years to dig back up. Maybe this was futile, no matter her efforts to keep him safe or his efforts to free her of the man he had endowed her to so long ago, they would never be together.

She swallowed thickly, wishing the water brewing beneath her eyelids could escape but knowing that the curse around her neck kept them at bay. The damn pendant was able to keep her emotions in check as well as her words—and she hated Peter with every fiber of her being. As this thought swarmed her mind a sharp pain shot through her chest and she hunched over, a cry escaping her lips.

Immediately, Killian stopped and placed his hand on her back. “What is it?” he whispered, crouching down to peer up into her eyes. She knew that he would not see the warning in her eyes but willed him to anyway. He simply looked concerned until she managed to straighten up and shake her head.

Her heart sunk deeper with every step they took until finally they crossed the threshold to Peter’s domain and she fell to her knees as the spell binding her lips snapped. Peter was only able to keep her dormant from speaking of him as long as she was outside his home and she let a breath of air fill her lungs.

“It’s a trap!” she shouted as soon as she was able but it was to no avail. As soon as the words escaped the Lost Boys flooded the area around them. They were in the trees above them all with their weapons aimed at hearts and throats. There were more of them on the ground with them, quickly closing in on them. Emma and the others only just had time to unsheathe the weapons they had brought—and a blue fire began burning in the palms of Regina’s hands. Only Rumpelstiltskin remained calm.

“Ariel,” came a playful voice from the opposite end of the clearing. Her heart hammered at that voice as Peter emerged into view. There was a playful smile on his lips but she knew that malice in his eyes—she would suffer for her words. “I’ve missed you, fishy.” His eyes flashed to someone behind her and she knew what the indication meant. Bring her to me.

She let out a cry as two strong hands grasped her arms and hoisted her to her feet. Killian let out an outraged yell as he stepped forward but almost immediately stopped. There was an arrow pointed directly at his heart—his eyes never left Ariel however.

The boy who grabbed Ariel carried her across the clearing to Peter and when he released her she fell to the ground once more at his feet. Peter looked down at her, that same quiet rage in his face before he looked back at the people before him.

“Grab them and take them to camp—I’ve got other things to deal with before I decide what to do with them,” Peter said lazily, wrapping his fingers in Ariel’s hair.

As he spoke however Regina let one of her fireballs out, chucking it at him but it dispersed just as soon as it reached the middle of the clearing. Peter and the rest of the Lost Boys laughed in unison. “Silly witch,” Peter said with another grin. “Your magic is no good here.”

Regina looked dumbfounded but Rumpelstiltskin simply grinned before letting out a very high-pitched laugh and then disappearing in a swirl of purple smoke.

Peter and the rest of the boys looked around furiously. “Find him! And take the others!”


	27. Peter Pan

Days passed when they were unable to venture very far. Killian and the others seemed oddly panicked at the thought of staying in one place and Ariel had the slightest inkling as to why. Although she had lived her whole life in the water she knew exactly what the dark forest encompassed.  
  
Ariel was like a newborn child, unable to do much of anything but stumble around foolishly. Killian watched her with great amusement as she struggled with tree branches to gain her footing and force herself to move. He would let a few nasty comments fly out but always seemed to be there when she was about to fall, holding a helping hand to her waist.  
  
When she was finally walking almost normally which felt like weeks later they were finally able to move. Everyone was grateful for the change in pace and packed their sacks in a hurry while Killian was left to walk slowly with Ariel. She would trip and stumble constantly but he was always there to help her along.  
  
Ariel was left to wear nothing but one of the larger men’s shirts, which was sashed tightly around the waist with rope. She couldn’t stand long enough to figure out how to put pants on and Killian refused to let any of the men help her into them; let alone himself.  
  
They would walk until Ariel’s knees grew weak and then Killian would call for them to build camp whilst the other pirates muttered in annoyance. They all shifted restlessly in their sleep for fear of the shadows that lurked in the dark woods. Killian leaned against one of the thicker tree trunks, carving his hook mindlessly in a thick branch.  
  
Ariel was in a sleeping bag just beside his legs and her red hair was splayed out around her head like a fiery halo. He found himself watching her with a furrowed brow and yet there was still a small smile on his lip. How much trouble this little mermaid had caused and yet he couldn’t bring himself to get rid of her.  
  
She was useless to him now that she had legs—as unnatural as her legs were they would bring him no gold. Yet he kept her around and continued to make his way into town—whether it be that he was hoping he could convince some fool that she was once a mermaid or he planned to keep her with him, he wasn’t sure.  
  
She let a small whimper out before rolling over to face him, her eyes still shut tight and her forehead creased. Her hair had fallen over her face and he reached his hand tentatively forward to brush the hair off of her skin. As his hand ran along her cheek, taking her ruby red hair with it, her face relaxed and she seemed to ease back into her slumber.  
  
Killian let his fingers trail back to her cheek, resting there for just a moment before he retracted his hand and continued carving up the branch.  
  
“You’re falling for her aren’t you?” came a voice from above. Killian jumped to his feet looking up into the tree but seeing nothing.  
  
“Who’s there,” he growled, unsheathing his sword. “Show yourself.”  
  
“Alright, alright, Captain. Here I am.” From behind him the voice sounded now and Killian whirled around, pointing his sword menacingly before him. A boy stood before him…or rather a very young man. His hair was orange and his face was covered with freckles and he wore a very thick-lipped smile.  
  
“Who are you?”  
  
“Oh, didn’t I introduce myself? I’m Peter. Peter Pan.”

 


	28. Why Won't You Love Me?

Ariel stumbled into Peter’s tent, a place she prayed she’d never have to see again, and fell to her knees. Tears were leaving dirt trails down her face as the Lost Boy mumbled something horrible and left her alone. Peter was busy terrorizing Emma and the others but it wouldn’t be long before he came for her. She stayed on her knees looking around the room for something, anything she could use to protect her face. But it was foolish to try, Peter could turn whatever she found to dust and hurt her twice as bad for attempting something so foolish.  
  
Her heart was in her throat and she was too busy imagining what would become of the others to hear someone enter the tent. Wet sobs quaked throughout her sternum as she let her hands sit against the ground so that she was now on all fours. “Oh, Ursula save me, what have I done?” she whispered—praying to the mighty sea goddess that was said to protect her kind. She hadn’t prayed to the goddess in a long time, nothing ever came of it, but now seemed as good a time as any.  
  
“Ursula can’t help you, fishy,” Peter sighed and Ariel turned so that now she was on her rear, her arms propped behind her helping her scuttle away from him.  
  
“Peter,” she gasped. “Peter, please, I—“  
  
“You still love that pirate don’t you?”  
  
This caught Ariel off guard—the quiet rage in Peter’s eyes was horrifying but it was the question that scared her the most. She was almost positive she knew the answer but she couldn’t bring herself to answer it. Nor could she bring herself to tell Peter the lie he had forced her to whisper to him almost every night since he had taken her.  
  
She couldn’t tell him no but she certainly couldn’t tell herself yes. She simply closed her eyes and looked away from the freckled face she had grown so afraid of. When she opened her eyes finally Peter was right in front of her, his brow softening and his lips turned down. He lifted his hand and gently trailed his index finger down the center of her throat, and then up the side of her neck to rest on her cheek.  
  
“I thought that maybe you had finally…finally grown to love me like I love you. I thought that you…I had hoped you weren’t afraid of me anymore. Haven’t I been good to you? Haven’t I protected you? Why can’t you love me Ariel?”  
  
She looked at Peter for a long time, into his mud-brown eyes that for once didn’t look like they were full of anger and hate. Just sadness. Sadness that the girl he loved wouldn’t love him back. For once in his life Peter looked human. He looked like any other dejected man wishing that the person he wanted would want him back—wishing that things would go his way. But wishes came at a price and Ariel knew that all too well.  
  
“Because you scare me, Peter. You scare me so much that I don’t know what to say or what to do around you—you don’t even allow me permission to speak…I’m afraid of what you’ll do to me …I’m afraid of what you’ll do to …to Killian,” she said, gasping as she said it and then added quickly, “and the others.”  
  
That small boy hiding behind Peter’s eyes disappeared in an instant and was replaced by the monster she was all too familiar with. The walls she had briefly let down thinking that maybe Peter could be reasoned with slammed back up.  
  
“I scare you?” At first he made it seem as though the idea was ludicrous. Peter wasn’t a frightening person; he was just a simple boy trying to woo the girl of his dreams. “Oh that’s right, you should be scared of me. I own you little fishy—if I wished to I could sell you to the highest bidder. You’re mine…you belong to _me_. Not that bloody _pirate_.”  
  
He had said all of this very quietly and yet Ariel felt as though her insides were booming with the force of his words. He had slowly come closer to her till his fingers were wrapped in her hair and around her throat. Just when she feared he was going to choke the life from her someone burst through the tent doors.  
  
“Peter,” the voice halted as he caught sight of the position Peter was in. Hunched over a girl on her knees, his long finger wrapped around her neck. Peter sighed before looking over his shoulder and releasing Ariel who collapsed in a coughing heap.  
  
“What is it, Carter?” he muttered, wiping his hands off on his trousers as if he had finished touching something dirty.  
  
“It’s…Baelfire. He’s in Neverland.”


	29. The Price of Legs.

Peter Pan smiled at the Captain—it was a very boyish grin but there was something sinister about that smile. “There’s no need for that,” he said nodding at the sword in the pirate’s hand. “Besides it’s no good against me. But you already know that, don’t you?”  
  
Killian let out a defeated sigh before putting away the weapon. He did indeed know that weapons such as steel were no match for the mighty Peter Pan. He knew well enough that should he swipe there was potential for Peter to revert the fatal blow back to Killian. “Why do you want from me?” he asked, his fist clenched at his side.  
  
He knew Peter Pan quite well in fact. This was not his first adventure to Neverland after all. In fact this was his third trip to the place. He knew the risks of entering Neverland, he knew that there was no way to safely leave the plane without the permission of the boy standing in front of him. And yet Killian had ventured here twice and managed to leave both times.  
  
He was lucky, he knew that but he hoped that Peter could once again be reasoned with.  
  
Peter smiled once more before crouching down beside the red haired siren. He took a strand of her hair and twisted in his fingers glancing down at her sleeping face. “She is lovely isn’t she? I can see why you’ve fallen so easily for her.”  
  
“Stay away from her, Pan,” Killian whispered menacingly.  
  
Peter looked up, his brow lifted in amusement. “You should be thanking me, Jones.”  
  
“And why is that?” His fingers itched to grasp his sword but he knew how pointless it would be. His eyes kept flickering between Peter and Ariel fearful that he would harm her or even worse that she would wake up and see Killian doing nothing to protect her. She wouldn’t understand that he was unable to do anything…  
  
“I’m the one who gave her these legs of course,” Peter said. “Well it wasn’t me exactly but I told my little fairy friend to run along and answer the cry for help she’d been hearing from a sad little siren who couldn’t run let alone walk away from the man who held her captive. Yet, would you look at that? She had her wish granted and she’s still here. With the man she was praying to get away from.”  
  
“ _You_ gave her legs?”  
  
“Didn’t you just hear what I said? Tinkerbell gave her legs. But I can take them away just as easily.”  
  
“What do you want?” Killian growled, his rage bubbling in his throat.  
  
“All in good time, pirate. Just remember the debt that you owe me while you make your way to town.” Killian blinked and Peter was gone but the sense of dread in his gut remained.


	30. One Happy Family.

It didn’t take long for Peter to leave Ariel alone. The news of Baelfire had caused his mood to completely rotate—in fact he was happier than Ariel had seen him in a long time. He had clapped his hands together as if he was about to have a family reunion. Which in theory a family reunion was certainly about to happen should Peter successfully gather Baelfire and find Rumpelstiltskin.  
  
Peter loved sharing stories with Ariel, especially since he was able to force her to keep his secrets. Ariel was quite familiar with his time spent with both Baelfire and with Rumpelstiltskin—in fact she certainly was aware that Rumpelstiltskin was Baelfire’s father…and if she had gathered correctly since Rumpelstiltskin was Henry’s grandfather that meant that Baelfire was his father.  
  
Thinking about it all gave her a headache and while she would’ve loved to curl up in the pile of blankets she and Peter shared together she couldn’t bring herself to do it. She knew the condition Peter kept his prisoners and she could only imagine what Emma and the others must be going through.  
  
She forced herself to her feet before taking a deep breath and walking towards the exit. She peered out the flap of the tent to find two Lost Boys stationed there. Should she try to leave they more than likely would throw her right back where she came from. Peter would of course here of her attempt to leave and punish her more brutally than he had planned for her now.  
  
There had to be a way she could get out of the tent if just for a moment. She glanced around the tent looking for anything that might be useful and then she saw the dagger. Ariel took a deep breath before crossing the space between her and Peter’s large circular table. The table that held a magical map of all of Neverland; it was how he was able to so easily direct his shadows  
  
She let her fingers close around the hilt of the dagger before pressing it gently into the crook of her elbow. “Please let this be enough,” she whispered before burying the blade deep into her skin to draw blood and then she dragged it down to her wrist letting out a cry as she did so.  
  
The dagger dropped to the floor, clanking beneath the table as Ariel clutched her bleeding arm. The blood had fallen so rapidly that it dripped from her fingertips. Just as she had hoped the boys outside the tent came rushing in, looking around angrily for whatever made Ariel cry out.  
  
“What did you do?” one of them hissed when they saw her arm. Immediately the Lost Boy ran up to her grabbing her injured wrist, which made her cry out again, and the Lost Boy immediately let go of her, his eyes widening with fear. “We’ve got to fix this,” he said panicked to the blonde boy beside him. “Pan will kill us if he finds her like this.”  
  
The blonde boy’s face was bright red as he looked around the room panicked. He grabbed one of the pillows laying on the bed Ariel shared with Pan before pressing it into her arm. “That witch!” he said suddenly. “That witch probably has healing powers! She can fix this,” he hissed and Ariel briefly shut her eyes in relief.  
  
“How do we know she won’t just use her magic to kill us all?” the other one hissed. It was quiet for a moment while the blonde one thought, still clutching the pillow to Ariel’s bleeding wrist. She could feel her knees weakening—if they didn’t figure this out soon she might not make it to see Regina.  
  
“She’ll heal me,” she croaked. “We’re…friends.”  
  
Both of the boys looked at Ariel in alarm before seeming to decide on something in silence. They then hoisted her to her feet as she had started to droop against the table—and carried her out of the tent past the Lost Boys and to the wherever it was that Regina was being held.  
  
“You!” the blonde boy called. “Fix her.” He took the pillow away causing Ariel to let out a small cry.  
  
Regina, who had been sitting back in her cage rather casually, sat up and placed her fingers around the bars. She looked up and down at Ariel with disdain before laughing dryly. “No. Why should I?”  
“Regina…” came a warning voice from beside her and Ariel looked to see Emma and Mary Margaret looking at the two of them. Regina rolled her eyes and looked at Ariel who tried to give her a look that sent a message.  
  
“Fine. But you need to leave.”  
  
“Not likely,” the blonde boy laughed.  
  
“Then I’ll just let her bleed to death. It shouldn’t be long now…look at how pale she is.”  
  
The boys looked at each other before shoving Ariel toward the cage and hurrying off. Regina grabbed her injured arm, digging her nails into her skin and Ariel let another cry out. “You better have a good explanation mermaid or I’ll cut those legs off and throw you back into the ocean.”  
  
“Regina!” Mary Margaret said sharply and with an annoyed sigh her hand began to glow. There was warmth in Ariel’s arm and the pain slowly began to fade away. When Regina released her all that remained of the wound was the blood—but there was no hint of a cut there.  
  
“I wanted to tell you. I tried to tell you but the pendant…he forbade me for speaking of him at all which meant I couldn’t talk about this place or that it was a trap. All I could do was lead you here.” Ariel spoke quickly and quietly. “I will do everything I can to get you out…” she said and then looked at Emma. “Baelfire was Henry’s father, yes?”  
  
Emma’s face suddenly dropped. “Yes…but he’s dead.”  
  
Ariel shook her head hurriedly. “No, he’s here, in Neverland. Peter is looking for him now.”  
  
“Neal’s alive?” Emma whispered, clutching at the prison bars. Ariel nodded before looking around at the cages. David was nowhere in sight and neither was Killian.  
  
“Where Killian?” she whispered.  
  
“In one of the cages down there,” Regina muttered, pointing lazily to her left. Ariel nodded before running off, ignoring their hushed whispers for her to come back.

 


	31. The Flute and its Magic Music

Ariel opened her eyes to a still black sky completely void of the glittering stars she had always enjoyed watching, as she would float on her back in the ocean. In the distance she could hear noise and as she propped herself up to look around she found that not only was Killian gone, so was a majority of the pirates. The rest of them were still curled up beneath their cloaks as they slept a fitful sleep.  
  
Ariel stood, holding the tree next to her to gather her balance, and ventured toward the noise. She had no shoes to wear so her feet were nearly black with dirt but she was not bothered by this, as she maybe should have been. Using trees as leverage to stand she stumbled along toward the music until she found a large fire. There was music unlike anything she had ever heard and shadows dancing all around the fire.  
  
“Did we wake you?” came a voice from behind her. She jumped, stumbling slightly so that the stranger behind her had to quickly grab hold of her so she wouldn’t fall. She looked up at the stranger with a small thankful smile. His eyes were the kind of blue that reminded her of the sky and the ocean…an endless canvas of blue. His face was dusted with freckles and his smile was the kindest she had seen since she left the ocean.  
  
“Yes, but it’s alright. This is incredible. I’ve never heard anything like it.”  
  
“What? You’ve never heard a flute before?”  
  
“What’s a flute?” she asked, feeling her cheeks heat up in embarrassment. The boy smiled and pulled a long cylindrical item from his waistband. It was curved at the end and there several holes along one side of it. “It looks like a magic wand,” she murmured in wonder reaching out to touch the wooden object.  
  
“It’s an instrument,” he said, his eyelashes lowered as he looked down at her. She noticed that they, like his hair, were orange. “You blow into this piece here,” he pointed at the curved part. “When you press your fingers against these holes it’ll create a different sound.” He then did just that creating more of the enchanting music. Ariel couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face as he played for her.  
  
“It’s wonderful,” she whispered, clapping her hands together. The boy handed her the object and she tried to mimic what he did. At first it just sounded like tunneled air but he helped her place her fingers correctly and it sounded almost as wonderful as he had made it.  
  
The boy was smiling at her as though he had never seen anything like her. “What’s your name?” he finally asked after seeming to consider for quite some time what to say to her.  
  
“I’m Ariel,” she said and then let out a slight squeak when he took her hand and shook it. “What is yours?”  
  
He then took the collar of his shirt and pulled it out, broadening his chest as if he was about to do or say something extravagant. “I’m Peter! Peter Pan,” he said and Ariel giggled slightly.  
  
She mimicked what he had done with her hand and smiled. “It’s very nice to meet you, Peter Pan.”


	32. Head of the Family

Ariel knew that Emma needed more of an explanation—finding out someone one had presumed dead was indeed alive was something every person had dozens of questions about—but she had to get to Killian. She stumbled along the uneven ground, her legs betraying her as she nearly tripped and fell several times. There were very few cages separating Regina and the others from Killian but they were spaced yards apart.  
  
She caught one to steady herself as she nearly fell once more but almost immediately a hand wrapped around hers. Ariel yelped trying to pull away but the hand was strong, keeping her there. “Please,” croaked the voice and Ariel realized with a start that it was a young girl’s.  
  
Ariel looked up, peering through the shadows until she saw a sallow face covered with dirt and blood. What were once bright blue eyes were now dull as they stared down at Ariel. “I know you,” Ariel whispered. “I’ve seen you before. Who are you?”  
  
“I’m Wendy,” the girl whispered, getting on her knees so to be level with Ariel. Almost as though everything were filling her mind at once she recalled a story about a girl named Wendy venturing to Neverland—but she knew only that the story ended not so happily with Wendy’s leaving.  
  
“What are you doing here?” Ariel hissed. She didn’t know how to ask her why she was _still_ in Neverland.  
  
“Peter…he brought me back,” was all she could say before a loud swear echoed from the cages Ariel had not yet checked. “The man you seek, he’s down there.” Wendy released Ariel’s hand and with one last fleeting glance, Ariel ran toward Hook.  
  
She could see the glint of his hook wrapped around the rusty steel bars of his cage and she almost cried out with relief. Ariel reached the cage and prayed that it wasn’t some sort of trap but only Killian looked back at her.  
  
“Ariel…you’re alright?” he asked, reaching his hand out to touch her cheek.  
  
“I’m fine. Killian you have to believe me, I wanted to tell you. But the pendant—“  
  
“I know, love,” he murmured, tucking a strand of her hair behind her ear. “What are you doing here? You can’t let Pan catch you, I won’t stand by and let him hurt you again.” Ariel nearly winced at his words—remembering the last time Hook _had_ stood by.  
  
“Nothing can hurt me anymore,” was all Ariel said before placing her hand over his. “I’ll get you out of here, I promise.”  
  
“Ah, but promises were made to be broken, _love_ ,” came the voice Ariel wanted to hear least of all. She whirled around to face Peter who was flanked by his Lost Boys—two men with bags over their heads stood behind him.  
  
“Ariel, you’ve been a very naughty girl,” Peter said, stepping forward and taking his chin in her hand.  
  
“Take your hands off of her,” hissed Killian, lunging forward to try and impale him with his hook. Peter easily dodged this, taking Ariel with him.  
  
“Don’t you get it, Hook? I offered you a chance to stay beside me and be my partner—but you denied me. So I let you leave with your dignity in tact and yet here you are. Trying to win back what you so willingly gave away. Don’t you understand? I win. I’ve got your girl…I have the witches locked away, I have you locked away—I have Henry. And now,” as he spoke he stepped back and removed the bags covering the two men. “I have Rumpelstiltskin and his beloved son…. my grandson, Neal.”  
  
Ariel looked sharply at Peter then. “Your…grandson?”  
  
“Yes. Rumpelstiltskin is my son—and Henry is my great grandson. Very soon his heart will be mine and nothing will stop me. Especially not you, _pirate_.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story has a sequel as well, don't worry! But while we wait for that I'm going to post a short little prequel I wrote called A Place to Fly. Hope you've enjoyed this bit!

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Welcome to my Hookriel/Once Upon a Time Fan-Fiction. I'm going to have every odd chapter take place before the curse struck, and every even chapter will be after Hook and the others went through the portal to Neverland to rescue Henry. So obviously this is set during the Neverland season. Enjoy! Comments/Kudos are always appreciated.


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